THE BOOK of CRISIS MANAGEMENT

Home , Crisis communication, Crisis management, Eric Dezenhall, Status Labs

A Guide to Preparing for, Mitigating During, and Recovering After Crises

Volume 10

36873 Crisis Guidebook Cover Design.indd 1 4/28/20 10:59 AM THE BOOK OF CRISIS MANAGEMENT VOL. 10

Published by PRNEWS Press • prnewsonline.com

2 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS The New Normal

Previous iterations of this book have referenced the certainty

ISSN 1546-0193 of crisis, yet here we are in the midst of a global pandemic that has left no industry untouched. As we begin to adjust to the For article reprints or site license pricing, contact Shana Murik at new normal in the age of COVID-19—both personally and [email protected]. professionally—we have recognized that there are some crises that are seemingly impossible for which to prepare. Editorial Director, Erika Bradbury [email protected] Editor, Seth Arenstein Most, if not all, businesses have had to pivot their operations, [email protected] some more successfully than others. While some industries may Senior Content Manager, Sophie Maerowitz [email protected] never quite rebound to their pre-COVID levels, how individual Content Manager, Nicole Schuman [email protected] organizations reacted in the face of this crisis will be a strong Event Content Manager, Mark Renfree indicator of how they come out of this on the other side. [email protected] Graphic Designer, Yelena Shamis [email protected] This COVID-19 Special Edition—Crisis Management: A Senior Marketing Manager, Shana Murik [email protected] Guide to Preparing for, Mitigating During and Recovering Marketing Manager, Megan Sigg [email protected] After Crises has been updated with articles that discuss the Publisher, Tom Larranaga importance of developing a robust, yet flexible, crisis plan, and [email protected] SVP, Marketing Group, Dan Hanover preparing your team for a truly unforeseen crisis. It covers Divisional President, Kerry Smith responding to media inquiries about employees testing positive Chief Financial Officer, James Fogle Chief Operating Officer, Heather Farley for the novel coronavirus; communicating internally to keep President & CEO, Don Pazour staff motivated in particularly challenging times; and utilizing a multitude of channels to communicate flexibly to internal and external stakeholders. We’d like to thank the contributors to this guidebook for sharing their insights and learnings, and wish you all the best. Stay well, 36942 The PRNEWS Editorial Team

Chapter 1—The Crisis Plan ...... 8 How Visual Mapping Prepares Teams for the Crisis No One Saw Coming ...... 9 By Peter V. Stanton How to Plan for Every Crisis ...... 14 By Ned Barnett Rapid Response to Tragedy: Anticipate Needs and Put People First...... 18 By Christopher R. Turnbull Survive Any Crisis by Identifying Roles, Stakeholders and More ...... 20 By Jock Breitwieser SPAR: Make Your Crisis Communication Team Ready to Respond in 4 Steps...... 27 By Dianne Anderson Why Simple, Approved Messaging Is Critical During a Crisis ...... 29 By Kevin Stickney Speed + Strategy Create Crisis Communications Success...... 33 By Scott Rainone Rapid-Response Tactics for When Your Brand Gets Negative News Coverage ...... 36 By Seth Arenstein How to Use a Content Plan During a Crisis...... 38 By Taral Patel How to Build a Flameproof Crisis Team That Can Handle Any Eventuality ...... 40 By PRNEWS Editors Detect, Direct, Deflect: Prepare Your Brand for the Possibility of a Fake News Attack...... 41 By Kristina Libby Digital Crisis Plans That Reposition a Brand for Success...... 43 By Darius Fisher Reputations at Risk: Steps to Take When ‘Recall Fatigue’ Sets In...... 46 By Mike Good Navigating Crisis Communications During Unprecedented Times...... 49 By Power Digital Marketing Team Crisis Communications Post-COVID-19: The Landscape Changed; the Principles Did Not...... 52 By: Becca Cooper and Benjamin Thiele-Long Responding to Incidents That Aren’t Yet, But Might Become, Crises...... 54 By Seth Arenstein

4 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 2—Internal Communications ...... 57 Building Resiliency Through Employee Crisis Communications Strategies...... 58 By: Deborah Hileman The Must-Haves for Your Executive Crisis Communication Procedures...... 60 By Liz Liberman 5 Steps to Protect Brands From Employees’ Controversial Politics...... 62 By Pia Singh Best Practices for Managing Internal Stakeholders in a Crisis...... 64 By Michelle Jamieson COVID-19: 7 Lessons for Executives in the Midst of a Global Crisis...... 67 By Mark Pasetsky Keeping Staff Informed, Motivated and Coming to Work During a Crisis...... 69 By Julie L. Sheedy Mistaking M&A Mountains for Molehills: Communicating Through Complexity...... 72 By Mandy Arnold Helping PR Pros and Agencies Cope With Mental Health Well-Being During a Crisis...... 75 By Nicole Schuman Communicating During a Global Crisis: Start at Home...... 78 By Greg Abel Communicating Layoffs During The COVID-19 Pandemic...... 80 By Erika Bradbury

Chapter 3—Executive and Spokesperson Training ...... 82 Attending to Your CEO’s Achilles’ Heel(s): A Guide By Type...... 83 By Andrew Gilman Training the Untrainable: Tips for Prepping the C-suite...... 85 By Allison Kahn Why, and How, to Play Offense as a Company Spokesperson...... 88 By T.J. Winick The 5 Cs: A Path to Delivering Reputation-Protecting Messages in Crisis...... 91 By Jeff Leshay Words and Phrases to Avoid in Crisis Communication Messages ...... 94 By Melony Shemberger How to Turn a Rogue Spokesperson Into Your Greatest Asset...... 96 By Casey Delperdang The Art of the Apology...... 99 By John Roderick How to Respond When the Media Runs Away With Your Crisis ...... 102 By Mike Rosen

© PRNEWS The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 5 Chapter 4—Media Relations ...... 107 Looking Inward: Why Crisis PR Faces a Crisis...... 108 By Eric Dezenhall Build Relationships with Media Before—Not During—a Crisis ...... 110 By Carreen Winters Quality of Communication Trumps Quantity During a Crisis ...... 112 By Karina Frayter Pitching the Media During a Crisis...... 114 By Annie Pace Scranton Rewriting the Rules: How to Get Real (and Be Effective) in a Crisis...... 116 By Jennifer Hellman The Crisis Paradox: Advocate or Apologize?...... 118 By: Joshua J. Smith Responding to Media Inquiries about Employees Testing Positive for COVID-19...... 122 By Aidan Ryan MLB Learns to Get in Front of the Story During Astros’ Cheating Scandal ...... 124 By Nicole Schuman and Seth Arenstein Finding Your Brand Voice During the COVID-19 Pandemic...... 127 By Rick Lyke and Beth Egan Communication Proves Critical to Orange County Corrections Pandemic Response...... 129 By Tracy Zampaglione

Chapter 5—Social Media ...... 131 3 Tiers of a Social Media Crisis (and How to Manage Each One of Them)...... 132 By Katie Goodale A Social Shift in Response to COVID-19...... 135 By Audrey Miller How Walmart Uses Numbers and a Human Touch to Define Social Crises...... 137 By PRNEWS Editors Make TikTok Work for Your Brand During a Global Pandemic...... 139 By Tuck Ross Southwest’s Communications Chief Shares Top 3 Social Media Crisis Management Tips...... 144 By PRNEWS Editors How Brands Should Respond to Negative Online Reviews Appropriately...... 146 By Mark Lange How to Set Up and Interpret a Social Listening Stream to Head Off Crisis...... 148 By Daniella Peting Questions to Determine Whether New or Established Sites Should Be Used in Crisis...... 152 By Stacey L. Knott How PR Pros Combat the Growing Threat of Weaponized Social Media...... 155 By Richard Levick

6 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Everything You Need To Know About Livestreams During COVID-19...... 158 By Amelia Oliver How Large and Small Brands Monitor to Prepare for Social Media Crises ...... 160 By Phil Watson

Chapter 6—Case Studies ...... 163 Pandemic Propels New Jersey School Districts into Action...... 164 By Lori Perlow How Lessons from a Prison Break Can Help You Navigate Complex Crises ...... 167 By Jeff Hallock Proactivity, (Toilet) Paper and a Pandemic: Fighting on the Frontlines as a Grocer ...... 170 By Emily Mastroianni How to Use Teamwork and Technology to Effectively Manage a Crisis Situation...... 173 By Dana Berchman & Jennifer Alvarez How Leadership Drives Crisis Communications Success...... 177 By Gary Kimball Communicating in Crisis: Using Multiple Channels to Confront Coronavirus Concerns...... 179 By Christina Kuhl Better Understand Organizational Trust Through a Consumer’s Perspective...... 182 By Christie Kleinmann The Houston Astros Offer Lessons in How Not to Apologize...... 186 By Dave Dykes How a National Celebrity Navigated an Arguably Career-Ending Mistake...... 188 By Casey Adams Jones Crisis Averted: Avoiding Reputational Damage During the COVID-19 Pandemic...... 190 By Dayne Stern Lessons From Samsung’s PR Fiasco: 6 Tips to Protect Your Reputation...... 192 By Yvonne Maher Communication Strategies for University Recruitment Amidst a Global Pandemic ...... 194 By Aurora Meyer Navigating the Unknown: Implementing a Chapter 11 Comms Program during COVID-19....197 By Jennifer E. Mercer Breaking Through The COVID-19 Noise...... 199 By Brian Chandler Changing the Conversation on Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis...... 202 Toyota Motor North America Drives Takata Air Bag Repairs ...... 204 A Conversation about Consumer Privacy: A Crisis that Moved the Industry Forward...... 206 Cruise Lines, Care Facilities Fail After COVID-19 Media Attention Arrives...... 208 By Katie Paine

Index...... 215

1 The Crisis Plan

How Visual Mapping Prepares Teams for the Crisis No One Saw Coming By Peter V. Stanton

hen the COVID-19 crisis An electric utility company, for example, may struck, many corporate have a plan for communicating in the event of communication teams a prolonged power outage, but it likely does were caught flat-footed. not have one for a circumstance in which line Perhaps we can all be crews might be exposed to a deadly virus dur- forgiven for not anticipating a worldwide ing the process of restoration. Wpandemic that brought the global economy to A process approach is more flexible and its knees, and did so seemingly overnight. far more effective. It focuses on the activa- On short notice, so many teams were tion and mobilization of a team in which each charged with making complex decisions member knows two things without question: about what to say, to whom and when. Too what role they will play, and how decisions much was unknown. Too many competing will be made. interests required immediate attention. Em- This simplicity becomes even more power- ployees were scared, customers were con- ful when it is expressed as a visual rather than fused, supply chains were disrupted. a narrative playbook. Illustrating a procedure It was hard to know where and how to for making decisions under pressure in a begin. It’s one thing to manage a product re- disciplined and thoughtful fashion empowers call, labor dispute or financial crisis. It’s quite the right people to engage in critical thinking another to communicate with certainty when and act in defined and coordinated ways. It the lives and livelihoods of people around the also minimizes confusion, an essential need world are imperiled by a virus about which so when operating in a crisis. little is understood. While some of the best communications Defining the Crisis Core Team pros were prepared in advance with plans for Now that we have experienced a global events that could reasonably be anticipated, emergency that impacts companies of all few saw COVID-19 coming. As a result, play- sizes, we must apply what we have learned to books had to be rewritten, in real time, as the the next iteration of our crisis plans. pandemic unfolded. A process map can become a highly valuable tool for guiding the core crisis team Process vs. Script through each stage of some future situation, Those who moved swiftly and effectively lending structure to their discussions and most likely were prepared with a “process” providing criteria for escalation of action as it rather than a “script.” The script, or situational becomes necessary. With this approach, deci- checklist, approach to crisis planning invari- sions are made by a multidisciplinary team ably misses the crisis that actually happens. functioning as an effective unit.

The Core Team ment team—who could serve as a subject The core team process, as opposed to the matter expert on the science of the pandemic. situational approach, identifies the key play- Actions, instead, were based on sometimes- ers, their roles and responsibilities – as well conflicting information from government as their authority– in crisis management well sources, local health officials and scientists ahead of time. from regional institutions who could be Without this kind of pre-planning, many reached on short notice, and not always organizations get bogged down in deciding because they were the preeminent experts on who should be enlisted when trouble occurs, the virus itself. further delaying the deliberate thought essen- Utilizing a crisis mapping approach would tial to a cogent response. have illuminated these blind spots in advance It is rarely the case that only a handful of and given the team the chance to address PR professionals are needed to communicate them not only in drills and table-top exer- in a crisis. In fact, many other people are es- cises, but also in real time. sential, including operations leaders, human Engaging an outside science and health resources professionals, legal counsel and, consultant can be far more effective than certainly in the case of COVID-19, science debating within your team over which public and health experts. pronouncements or news reports are the most Unfortunately, these non-communications credible to utilize. professionals are unlikely, when under the The crisis map also facilitates preparedness pressure of the moment, to approach a crisis drills, either in the form of a tabletop exercise with a communications mindset. Creating or live action session. These serve to test and a map of the process and each person’s de- reinforce your management process, enable fined role enables everyone to understand the critical thinking and foster collaboration that system he or she is mobilizing and his or her otherwise has a tendency to break down dur- unique contribution to ensure the most ap- ing actual crises. People have a capacity to act propriate action. in a manner they believe to be in the best interests of the organization, but are not always Guiding Preparedness Thinking in a fashion that reflects team consensus. A solid crisis process map serves as a tool From an execution standpoint, a crisis map to facilitate planning and as a resource for the helps core team members stay cool under crisis team to understand their commitments. pressure, knowing they have a clearly defined system, accepted protocols and decision-mak- In Planning ing hierarchies. From a planning standpoint, a crisis map provides an illustration of how the team is In Action organized and led. Using the map, the team In a crisis, people can either overreact or follows a specific rubric for responses and as- clam up. They’re under a great deal of pres- sessments along the way to ensure a deliber- sure, the situation can shift quickly and the ate, yet timely, course of action. correct course of action is not always clear. For example, in one recent COVID-19 The crisis map brings structure to what might communication management session, it be- otherwise become a chaotic situation, allow- came evident that there was no individual in ing the team to follow a pre-determined path, the room—or on the extended crisis manage- instead of directing specific actions that may

10 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

crisis communication process map

This process map is intended as a guide. Every situation will vary and communication must be adjusted accordingly. *Communication must adhere to all applicable industry, geographic, and legal/regulatory requirements.

adopt a principled approach consistent with company core values

Integrity Excellence Respect Humility Generosity

The crisis may be immediate or probable. Strategic communication may influence the potential impact of the issue on the brand reputation. Knowledgeable 1 assess situation associates determine whether situation warrants crisis response.

does it meet the following criteria?

An Event that Threatens Company’s Brands and Reputation Internally and/or Externally AND Interferes with Normal Business Routine and Creates Uncertainty

business associates: Focus on actions to remedy the crisis; form issue core team Communication associates: Collaborate with Business Associates with a 2 focus on internal & external messaging & outreach.

communication members business members

A agree on roles A

*EXAMPLE OF POSSIBLE TEAM MEMBERS

C-SUITE BUSINESS / LEGAL / PRODUCT CUSTOMER COMMUNICATION DIVISION REGULATORY SPECIALIST FACING

B agree on protocol B

Identify Waterline Consultants Identify Stakeholders Adopt Decision Making Model

C message approval C Timely Technically Accurate Legal/Regulatory Approval

Communication Consistency (Positioning, Tone, Aligns with Previous Messaging)

not fit the actual circumstances. be personally affected come first. Knowing your methodology rather than At this stage, a Status Assessment may be your pre-scripted statements and actions fos- undertaken to gauge response to your com- ters critical thinking specific to the circum- munication, the severity of the unfolding stance, an all-important element of successful crisis and the occurrence of external events crisis communications. over which you have no control. This assessment enables the team to evaluate next steps With a crisis map in hand, a and calibrate priorities from there. company has a clear set of With a crisis map as a visual guide, the guidelines to drive actions organization has a roadmap for decisions and and decision-making across actions that can evolve to include Tier Two the core team in any crisis. Communication, potentially reaching local governments, regulators and the media; Shareholder Outreach; Rapid Response; or Calm and Collected During a Crisis Sustained Engagement, primarily with the In the event of COVID-19, your methodol- employees, customers and communities with ogy might begin with Critical Analysis – ask- whom you interacted first. ing key questions: Within this sequence, additional Status ■■ Do we have people already affected? How Assessments occur to ensure the core team is many and to what extent? fully informed about developing events and ■■ Where are our ongoing health and safety vulnerabilities? appropriately deliberative about each new dimension of management and response. ■■ Who has the best insights into the magnitude of our risk? No one ever wishes to face a global crisis ■■ Where can we obtain unbiased and ac- such as COVID-19. Now that we have, we are curate science guidance? better prepared to face the unthinkable. Now From there, the process may move to Tier is the time to develop your core team and arm One Focused Communication: reaching those it with a well-conceived and tested crisis map. with the greatest immediate need for infor- That way, you can be confident you know how n mation. Most likely this begins with employ- to address even the unforeseen. ees and moves progressively to customers and communities. Shareholder communication Peter V. Stanton is CEO of Stanton Communi- will occur later, but the people most likely to cations. @stantoncomm

12 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

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How to Plan for Every Crisis By Ned Barnett

oday’s novel coronavirus crisis, thing can happen at any time, planning for while unexpected in both scope crises you can anticipate will save you heart- and intensity, is nonetheless as ache and – potentially – millions of dollars. predictable as your morning All you have to do is plan in advance, test coffee. The same applies to 2019’s your plan periodically, update it as necessary, hurricane season – headlined by Hurricane then keep your eyes open for the first sign of TDorian – which collectively caused more than the next disaster. $7.5 billion dollars in damages. We know pandemics will hit – SARS was Plan for Everything You Can less than two decades ago, and the swine flu Weather crises and natural disasters, virus was just a few years ago. We also know pandemics, recessions or more personal-to- hurricanes will hit – the Atlantic and Gulf your-business disasters can happen at any coastal areas are dangerous places to live or time. Even the best minds available can’t plan work. But try telling Kansans it’s dangerous to for everything, but you’ll be way ahead of the live in Tornado Ally – or Los Angelinos that it game if you create plans to address, in greater can be unhealthy to live on the fault line. or lesser degree, any disaster you can imagine. You can tell people this, but few will act ■■ If you’re unionized, plan for a strike to on that information. Just as the latest natural occur at the worst possible moment. disaster victims don’t want to hear about the ■■ If you deal with volatile chemicals, plan risks of living on the coast – they’ve long- a response to an explosion or environ- since decided it’s worthwhile to live in an at- ment-wrecking leak. risk geographic location – victims or potential ■■ If you deal with confidential information, victims of COVID-19 (virtually all of us) plan in advance for a very different kind don’t want to hear about what we all should of leak – be it a hack from outside, or a have done, in advance of this outbreak. disloyal employee on the inside. However, when the current pandemic ends, ■■ If your spokesperson is a celebrity, plan our first lesson should be that the next such in advance to weather a bout of very disaster is just around the corner. public moral turpitude. We will all survive disasters much more ■■ If you have a high-profile CEO or board effectively if we first prepare ourselves, while member, plan for a reputation-shattering we still can, for the next crises. Your business scandal. – or your client’s business – doesn’t have to be ■■ If your business requires electricity, plan at the mercy of natural disasters – nor should for a long-term grid collapse. it be the victim of recessions or other man- ■■ If you have valuable data stored in com- made turmoil. The point is simple: While any- puters or on the cloud, plan to be hacked.

14 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

How to Plan for a Disaster Planning for a disaster is critical – and each di- The hospital’s crisis planning team began the saster needs a separate disaster planning team. process with a face-to-face meeting – only For example, the Secret Service designated after each participant had signed an NDA. “my” South Carolina hospital as a “receiving Together, we worked out the procedures hospital” should the president have a medical necessary to ensure security for the President emergency while flying between Charlotte and as well as access for the local media. We Augusta. Upon receiving this notice, I pulled also lined up internal systems in the hospital together a crisis planning team that included: – phones, food-service, typewriters (this was before computers or cell phones, so technol- ¨¨ The county sheriff and civil defense director (for security and traffic control) ogy is no longer needed) to provide for the press room needs of the media. ¨¨ The hospital safety engineer to set up an easily isolated press room, which was This included creating an on-the-run press complete with word processors, phone room, posting police in all stairwells to keep lines and coffee enterprising reporters from trying to breach internal security, and providing local media ¨¨ Executives from the local newspapers and TV stations – their participation was vital with photo IDs that the County sheriff’s secu- to ensure that their reporters had equal rity team would honor, allowing locals equal access to the same press opportunities as access to the press room. the traveling presidential press corps Due to the confidential nature of this potential Because this last item relates directly to crisis, rehearsals were not possible. How- media relations, an explanation might be in ever, with our help, all of the parties involved order. The traveling Presidential press corps (separately) rehearsed their roles. The sheriff tends to have better access to breaking news deployed his forces during a hospital practice than the local media. They are known to the (non-specific) emergency drill, the hospital Secret Service, they have photo-ID badges engineer had his staff set up the press room in that identify them as members of the Presi- the auditorium several times until he had the dential press, and because they represent ma- timing right, the civil defense director worked jor news media, they are used to getting their with the sheriff to practice traffic control, and, way. Often local reporters are brushed aside with my help, the media briefed its teams on – or, in the vernacular of the Presidential press ways of responding to a generic high-profile corps, “big-footed.” individual being admitted to a local hospital. While, as the hospital’s PR director, I made plans to accommodate the press corps with The Takeaways: a press room, the longer-term interests of the hospital involved ensuring that the local press ¨¨ Involve all key decision-makers right from was treated with respect and provided access. the start. By involving the newspaper publishers and TV ¨¨ If confidentiality is important, ask each to station general managers in the planning pro- sign a non-disclosure form before partici- cess, those relations were strengthened even pating in the planning. before there ever was a presidential health ¨¨ Provide an in-depth briefing so all plan- emergency which, fortunately, never happened. ners have access to relevant information This experience has wider implications for any ¨¨ Take notes, and from that, evolve a plan organization that gets caught up in national that all planners sign off on. news. While it’s important to accommodate ¨¨ Create the tools (such as reporter IDs) the national media, it’s at least as critical to needed to carry out the plan. ensure the local news media is looked after. ¨¨ Do whatever it takes to practice the emer- Local media will provide ongoing bread-and- gency response plan in advance. butter press coverage for your organization long after the national press rushes off to the next big story.

In a study published in PRNEWS in Febru- while six others were injured while jumping ary of 2020, based on a survey conducted in out of windows to escape the shooter. October of 2019, fewer than 30 percent of A simple, in-place and well-practiced crisis respondents feared a pandemic or any other plan could have saved many of these victims. kind of environmental disaster. However, instead of putting out the word in a You get the picture. In PR and its various timely fashion, the administration hunkered branches, such as brand or image manage- down. According to the state’s Virginia Tech ment, it’s essential that you plan for every Review Panel, by the time the administration conceivable crisis and make preparations. went public about its active shooter status to Sometimes, these efforts will push up its students, faculty and employees – at 9:23 against the wishes of a budget-conscious or “it a.m., roughly two hours after the shooting can’t happen here” executive. He or she can be had begun – most of the fatalities and injuries expected to try and interfere with a vital public had already been inflicted. relations function. Things can get ugly, especial- While I wish this was an isolated example, ly when you’re fighting for tight budget dollars. it’s not. Fortunately, there are several ways of The larger the organization, the more likely that overcoming the built-in entropy that often mid- or upper-level executives will fall into a mitigates against effective crisis planning. “go-along-to-get-along” mindset, which creates ■■ Create a detailed risk-assessment of a serious barrier for organization-wide crisis crises that could have a PR impact. All of planning. If possible, try to win over likely ob- them do. jectors before launching your effort. ■■ Create a detailed PR plan to address the top potential crises. Waiting to Plan is A Mistake ■■ Deal directly with other departments – A NASDAQ-sponsored survey from 2016 especially those managed by cooperative showed that 48 percent of the firms polled executives – and include them in your had any kind of crisis plans in place. Even “strictly PR crisis response plan.” fewer actually practiced various crisis sce- ■■ Share the benefits of this kind of plan- narios regularly – or at all. More recently, a ning with other department managers, PRNEWS survey found that 62 percent of which will encourage them (by example) firms have a crisis plan – yet fewer than half to get onboard. of them believe their plan is up-to-date, and A useful alternative is to independently less than 42 percent have ever tested the plan. conduct the risk assessment and PR planning, An out-of-date plan – or one that exists but then go to the planning-resistant executives has never been tested or practiced – might and demonstrate the benefits of such a plan. create more problems than no plan at all. Then try to win them over. A classic example of a plan that may have Fortunately, creating risk assessments done more harm than good can be found in and crisis response plans are not expensive. the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. Certain- Besides, should a crisis actually arise, most ly, in the aftermath of Columbine a decade organizations ignore budget limitations as a before, any school should have a disaster plan trade-off for protecting the brand. Begin this to accommodate such a risk; Virginia Tech by setting up a Risk Assessment Threat Chart, did, too. But it was old, outdated and in many which needs to be nothing more than an Ex- ways, just wrong. As a result, 32 people were cel grid that identifies risks and allows you to shot to death and another 17 were wounded, calculate probabilities.

16 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

For example, as its first PR Director, I unprecedented 24-inch snowstorm; a “500- created a risk assessment and response plan year snowfall” that cut off all access, except for Lexington County Hospital. I first began for four-wheel drive vehicles, to the hospital. with environmental risks. South Carolina is Effective organizational disaster planning both a tornado zone, as well as in a hurricane is important, and – for organizations that zone. In the late 1880s, Charleston was nearly don’t now have such plans – PR can justifi- leveled by an earthquake; the hospital was ably take the lead in making plans, regardless located downstream from the world’s largest of the type of disaster involved. Plan ahead, earthen dam. n Knowing how we’d respond, I was able to practice, be prepared. successfully “stare down” two such crises: a hurricane that sat on top of our hospital for Ned Barnett is the CEO of Barnett Marketing eight hours, creating indoor flooding, and an Communications. [email protected].

Rapid Response to Tragedy: Anticipate Needs and Put People First By Christopher R. Turnbull

very hospital in America plans for because it was broadcast live and involved the the next mass casualty incident media itself. and, at the same time, hopes it Having an established crisis communica- won’t be theirs. When the phone tions team with roles, responsibilities and rang at 6:46 a.m. on August 26, plans made scaling up to meet the need 2015, it was our turn. easier. It’s not enough to know the roles you EA colleague reported shots fired, and need in a crisis; you need to know the people multiple victims were down during a live – strengths, weaknesses, adaptability under television broadcast. WDBJ7 reporter Alison pressure, level of resiliency and teamwork. Parker and cameraman Adam Ward were That’s why our team practices and why we unresponsive. have team members who are cross-trained to Within minutes, Carilion Clinic readied function in multiple roles. a Life-Guard helicopter in the hopes that our Within a few hours, the team quickly com- skilled doctors and nurses might be able to municated emergency measures to protect save their lives. our staff, offered condolences, reminded staff Parker and Ward couldn’t be saved, but about patient privacy, helped prepare the the third victim of the attack, local chamber victim’s family for the attention they would of commerce executive director Vicki Gard- receive and began to think about how to ad- ner, was en route to our region’s only Level 1 dress other anticipated community needs. Trauma Center at Carilion Roanoke Memo- By noon, the team had handled dozens of rial Hospital. With that, Carilion’s crisis com- communications to our boards, leadership, munications team activated its plan. staff, the media and the public. One or two While the number of victims in this inci- people could not do it all; it was a team effort. dent didn’t officially reach the threshold of a mass casualty incident (four or more victims), Planning is Essential our response was informed by the experienc- Our goal was to put order to chaos that es of our peers who had unfortunately faced morning and in the days that followed, and our them, and will hopefully help those who face crisis communications plan was our roadmap. these tragedies in the future. The plan offered a framework that allowed us Here are our insights and lessons. to manage by objectives. Practicing with the plan taught us how to adapt and remain agile. Build a Team There is always a time during a fast-evolving Small-scale events can be handled by one crisis when teams are merely reacting to what’s or two people. Even though in some ways this in front of them. Our plan enabled us to quickly event was nothing more than a tragic mur- move from reacting to responding with intention. der, it became an international story rapidly Our objectives were simple and straightforward:

18 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

1. Facilitate an efficient flow of timely, accurate and credible information between all parties involved. 2. Protect the victim’s family by anticipating their needs and the needs of the media. 3. Help our community cope and heal after such a devastating loss.

Anticipate and Address quickly produced a video featuring our pedi- Stakeholder Needs atric and psychiatric experts to help parents We were able to get ahead of the crisis navigate those conversations. by anticipating the needs of the patient, the media, our employees and our community. Put People First A news conference was necessary to quickly Professionalism and emotional intelligence communicate with the dozens of media out- in a crisis are not mutually exclusive. Our lets descending upon our community. response was geared to the people impacted: Using our plan, we activated our protocol the victim and her family, the media, the for a news conference on site, but quickly public and Carilion’s employees, including the changed course when we learned that the members of the crisis communications team. municipality was establishing one. We joined The crisis communications team modeled its Joint Information Center and spoke at the extreme professionalism while navigating event. We did not need to be the focus of the their own emotions and dealing with personal story, but our voice was still essential. tragedy; Adam and Alison were colleagues and We expected the media to doggedly pursue friends, and Vicki was a Carilion community anyone who knew the victim to get a com- hospital board member and a friend as well. ment. Instead of fighting that battle, we talked In the week following the shooting, our to the family to see if they would offer 90 min- psychiatry and behavioral medicine depart- utes of time to be interviewed by the media. ment offered their time so that the communi- We would continue to provide daily updates cators could debrief about the incident. Now to reporters on the victim’s condition, but the debriefing is permanently a part of our plan. trade-off for the media was no interviews for None of what we do in crisis communica- the three days following the interviews. By tions is rocket science. With your adrenaline relieving the immediate pressure, we were able pumping in a fast-moving situation, it pays to to buy the family three days of peace to spend have a competent, well-trained team focused with their loved one. on the people impacted and the overall needs It was quickly apparent that our commu- of your stakeholders. n nity was traumatized by the events they wit- nessed on television. Parents were struggling Christopher R. Turnbull, MS is director of cor- to talk to their children about what happened. porate communications & operational continu- Our in-house content team, which included ity at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, VA. media@ a popular, Emmy-award-winning TV anchor, carilionclinic.org

Survive Any Crisis by Identifying Roles, Stakeholders and More By Jock Breitwieser

ne thing is certain: Sooner or Is a Crisis Headed Your Way? later, a crisis will occur. How Before you can manage a crisis, you need will you respond? With a plan, to know how to recognize one. To acknowl- of course. edge and then successfully address a problem, you need two crucial elements: monitoring Planning for the Plan and definitions of what constitutes a crisis. OYou need a plan, but no crisis communica- The best way to mitigate an issue is to see tions plan is a silver bullet. Every situation is it coming as early as possible. Monitoring unique, and no template is meant to solve all achieves just that. It: your problems. Rather than a panacea for all ■■ Increases predictability. scenarios, the crisis communications plan is a ■■ Aids in preventing crises before they starting point and reference tool. Consider it happen. a toolbox with implements for crisis scenarios ■■ Accelerates decision making. that are either the most likely or most threat- When setting up a monitoring team, team ening for your organization. The crisis plan members need to review issues and intel- serves as a guide for how to respond. It gives ligence they gather from a variety of sources you and your crisis team the necessary struc- in the daily monitoring of critical outlets and ture to document, manage and survive a crisis. sources. They need to qualify the level of risk No two crises are the same, although they may that these issues represent. have similarities. There cannot be a single template approach to manage the range of crises.

Use the example of an airplane: an issue is when the plane is delayed, and an incident is when the plane experiences turbulence or a mechanical defect. But you’re dealing with a crisis when the plane is about to crash.

20 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Know a Crisis When You See One Every organization experiences any num- 7 Steps for Structured ber of situations that are uncomfortable. But Media Monitoring not every troubling situation is a crisis. To 1. Institute an intelligence monitoring manage crises successfully, you need to be team consisting of members who able to understand the differences between will monitor daily key stakeholder incidents, issues and crises. Depending on sources of information that may be helpful in predicting a crisis. This how you categorize a situation, you’ll need to team is headed by an Intelligence adjust your actions. Team Captain, who ensures that monitoring sources meet frequency Issue: and coverage requirements. Usually, the subject of a debate. The media 2. Develop daily monitoring by team may spread it and so occasionally it peaks as members during times when a potential issue may arise, or when an it gathers attention. It can become an incident issue is emerging. or a crisis. An unusual trend in customer 3. Develop a weekly data capture and complaints should also be defined as an issue. risk assessment report to ensure due diligence against all information and Incident: acts as an archive over time. An unexpected event. A deviation from 4. Create risk assessment criteria and scoring to provide clear guidance on internal or external standards generally trig- how to rate the risk level of the data. gers an incident. If mismanaged or left unat- 5. Create a central platform where tended, it has the potential to mushroom into weekly crisis reports will reside and a crisis. where the full Intelligence Monitor- ing Team has access, e.g Intranet or Crisis: internal data/information management system. A crisis is an unexpected event that can 6. Utilize an instant red flag alert proce- threaten the health and safety of consumers, dure, which is used when an individ- customers, and employees, as well as the image ual team member uncovers informa- and financial value of a brand and company. tion outside the weekly capture. Beyond being able to categorize the situ- 7. Develop red flag monitoring protocols to enable the crisis team to ation, your team members need to know the receive regular constant updates that signs that indicate an issue, incident or crisis. will guide decision-making should a Because it is impossible to cover all possible crisis be imminent, or during a crisis. scenarios for a crisis, it makes sense for you to define the two or three most likely scenarios that can cause a crisis and are likely to cover and address the most likely and most impact- 80 percent of all cases you will encounter. ful crisis scenarios. Also, you should write down one or two crisis Here are some sample scenarios for a crisis: scenarios that, while not likely to happen a ■■ SCENARIO 1: A data security breach lot, have the potential to destroy or severely resulting in the theft of employee or cus- damage your organization to the degree of be- tomer information. The media is likely to ing unable to operate or continue business as or has reported already this incident. In usual. Following this pattern, you have creat- addition, stock analysts and/or members ed guardrails that should help staff recognize of the security research community are

A structured team drives successful execution. Credit: Jock Breitwieser

likely to discuss or write about it. The your organization does not prepare for a crisis. immediate threat is to employee data, Don’t come empty-handed to a meeting customer business or the customers’ cus- with an executive. Carefully plan and prepare tomers/employees. to have strategy, tactics, implementation and ■■ SCENARIO 2: A mass error in the pro- required resources/budget for your session. duction of your organization’s product becomes a crisis when multiple compa- Influencers and Stakeholders nies are involved. With an immediate To succeed with crisis management, you threat to your customers’ businesses or must build strong relationships with internal their customers/employees, the issue has and external stakeholders and influencers. the potential to drag/evolve versus to be Internally, stakeholders will be an integral solved quickly, and the error has been part of your team and paramount to success. or is likely to be reported by the media, Identify people who will form your crisis analysts, and other external stakeholders. team. They will help you get up and running when times get tough and allow you to cover Executive Buy-In multiple crisis areas at once. For crisis communications to be taken This internal team should consist of per- seriously, executive buy-in is essential. Dem- manent members, such as the chairman/ onstrating the business value of having a crisis business lead, the communications lead and plan in place will help secure support from the crisis executive. In addition, members of senior executives and C-level executives. Give the core team could include representatives executives examples of what has happened to from the legal department, product engineer- similar organizations when they have faced a ing, field/customer communications, a board crisis. Offer examples of companies that have liaison and a data security expert from IT. suffered significant financial losses from a This setup ensures that you have people badly handled crisis. on your team who know the product and can Don’t just ask what if questions. Instead, assess whether your crisis will be contained provide answers, outline possible crisis scenar- or whether it will expand. You will also have ios, and give examples of what can happen if people who are intimately familiar with your

22 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Roles and Responsibilities of ¨¨ Responsible for risk analysis and giving Crisis Team Leaders clear overview of the situation ¨¨ Responsible for updating log sheets ¨¨ Responsible for coordinating operational Chair and Business Lead aspects of crisis management ¨¨ Activates core team and informs extended ¨¨ Acts as the focal point for all information teams ¨¨ Briefs Crisis Management Team members ¨¨ Final responsibility for all decisions and individually when formal meetings are not communications required

¨¨ Guards progress of activities and decides who participates in meetings Communications Lead ¨¨ Empowers and supports Crisis Manage- ¨¨ Responsible for coordinating all internal ment Team and Crisis Executive/Coordina- and external communications tor ¨¨ Responsible for media handling and media ¨¨ Responsible for liaising or delegating for monitoring board communication ¨¨ Leads the communications team ¨¨ Has the mandate to take whatever action ¨¨ Responsible for instructions for the to let the Crisis Team function properly spokesperson of the company ¨¨ Decides on involving external experts ¨¨ Delegates contacts with government and ¨¨ Evaluates the management of the crisis external bodies on a policy-making level and provides recommendations for pos- ¨¨ Ensures that this Crisis Manual is current sible adjustments of the crisis manual ¨¨ Decides when the Crisis Management The other team members bring their exper- Team will be disbanded tise and business function responsibility to the crisis. They are given a specific remit at the Crisis Executive start of a crisis and tasked to gather information, and/or assess options and make recom- ¨¨ Responsible for centralizing and reviewing mendations. complaints/alerts and advising Chair

customer base and who know how many ment to tell you who you need to contact. people will be affected by a product or service When it comes to communicating with issue and can help assess the potential sever- these groups, social media and email are ac- ity of the crisis. ceptable. That said, if you want to maintain For external stakeholders, compile a list of and build the quality of your relationships audiences with whom you need to commu- with external stakeholders, nothing is bet- nicate to reduce the external/image impact of ter than personal and direct communication. an emergency. This list should include cus- Again, in advance, create a prioritized list of tomers, investors, partners, vendors, regula- contacts because it likely will be impossible to tors, employees and shareholders. call all external stakeholders personally. It will be crucial for you to have these For those you cannot reach directly, an auto- groups and their respective members set mated phone system can be a great alternative. in advance, on paper. Having a master list If it’s possible to go down the list with your team in someone’s head will not work. Similarly, and have everyone make personal phone calls, you’re not going to have enough time during though, that’s the best. Which external stake- a crisis to sit down and create an Excel docu- holders need to be contacted first depends on

communicate, do so clearly and quickly. External Stakeholders to Beyond that, the question is how elements Keep on Your Radar of crisis communication will help companies navigate their business amid today’s chal- ¨¨ Board members ¨¨ Candidates lenges. For example, a B2C organization ¨¨ Counterparties/lenders that conducts business with consumers has ¨¨ Customers/clients to develop a communications strategy that ¨¨ Employees demonstrates it understands what consum- ¨¨ Government organizations ers are experiencing. A B2B company that ¨¨ Investors sells directly to other businesses, or that has ¨¨ Partner organizations a channel strategy, needs to roll out a crisis ¨¨ Regulators communications plan that directly addresses ¨¨ Shareholders the business challenges of these audiences. ¨¨ Subsidiary brands Another aspect is how to communicate at ¨¨ The media this moment. Timing announcements around ¨¨ The general public events and in-person lead generation initia- ¨¨ Trustees tives obviously won’t work. Organizations have ¨¨ Vendors to adjust and communicate with their custom- ¨¨ Volunteers ers quickly. The messages have to be around what an organization’s audiences can expect in terms of news, support, communications which group the crisis will hit hardest. and access. While there’s a lot of uncertainty in a continually shifting news environment, Consider Your Style it’s an important time to engage. It’s also an One key aspect of crisis communications important time to ramp up owned, shared and is properly assessing the nature of the crisis. partner social channels. And especially in the COVID-19 has taught us a valuable lesson case of COVID-19, it means a massive shift of in that regard. Formerly, organizations ex- all engagement toward digital experiences, ow- plained a shortcoming in a service or product. ing to cancelations of physical events and lack Now, with coronavirus, they have to develop of direct face-to-face opportunities. communication in the face of a crisis that When it comes to messaging around a enveloped them. Moreover, it is a crisis that crisis, it’s essential to demonstrate that you’re impacted just about all of their employees, not a corporate robot. Be approachable, show customers and partners. empathy and speak the language of your The critical issue around news and an- audience. Show that you understand what nouncements in the COVID-19 scenario is your audience is going through, demonstrate that PR pros must consider if and how com- that you know what its members need most munication will help an organization’s em- urgently and don’t make it about yourself. ployees, customers and stakeholders. Defining Instead, make it about the people that what your audiences need is good communi- you’re looking to address and show you can cations and good business. If it is not relevant walk in their shoes. Do they need food? How to your core audiences, now is not the time can you support community events, charities to speak. You will not achieve any business and food banks in a meaningful way? If you advantage. If, however, now is the time to have a lot of small- and medium-sized busi-

24 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Clear definitions for when action is required. Credit: Jock Breitwieser

ness as customers, how can you help them get crisis hits. Depending on the communications through these tough times? Can you quickly channels that your stakeholders (not you!) pre- institute payment deferral programs? Or pro- fer, tailor appropriate statements in advance. vide them with financial counsel that helps For example, have brief statements ready to use them secure loans? on various social platforms, another for a short As with all crises, having a rough plan and email and a third for a press release. outline helps you get started quickly. Activat- Finally, don’t forget that during a crisis you ing it is a quick and relatively smooth process will have to be ready to answer not only to the that allows you to be on the ball fast. But most media but also to customers. In addition to important, making fast go-to-market adjust- the Q&A document for your media spokes- ments is vital. In addition, communicating person, prepare a statement that you can pro- clearly to employees, partners and customers vide to your call center so it can respond to is assisted because you have a plan to follow. questions your customers and partners need you to answer. Be Prepared with Statements Beyond that, many companies prepare a You will not have any time to spare when a website with placeholder statements that are

Examples of Prepared Statements

SOCIAL STATEMENT XXX experiences an issue with YYY. Resolution by TIME/DATE. 800 888 8888 or [email protected] for 24-hour immediate, live assistance. Additionally, you could prepare another statement for your Facebook or LinkedIn channels.

BRIEF STATEMENT XXX is currently conducting a thorough investigation to identify and resolve the issue. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this has caused, and we’re committed to helping any customers with urgent needs. XXX offers the following protective/reparative measures: XYZ. XXX employees can call +1 800 888 8888 for 24-hour immediate, live assistance, or email [email protected] Another prepared statement could be a press release skeleton with exchangeable placeholders for crisis modules that you pre-draft and which you’ll only need to modify according to the situation.

LONG STATEMENT XXX self-discovered [situation and scope of the crisis]. We have immediately taken steps to rectify the situation [other actions]. We also have [other measures to ensure this does not happen again]. Affected customers are limited to those who provided [what information] using [what technology] to [to what] from [date range]. There is no indication that this issue had any impact on customers (who) [define the scope of the damage and which customers are not affected]. We’re committed to helping any customers with urgent needs. XXX employees can call +1 800 888 8888 for 24-hour immediate, live assistance, or email [email protected]. On behalf of XXX, we regret any inconvenience this may have caused you. Sincerely, NAME, TITLE

adjusted before the site goes live during a crisis. you add products or services, you may have This is a great asset to have and it’s well worth to deal with different crisis scenarios and, working with your web team to prepare it. therefore, new ramifications and procedures. When this happens, you need to compile Wash, Rinse and Repeat new master documents to outline required You must gather your crisis response team steps. Those will then need to be circulated at least twice yearly to go through the pre-de- for comment to the entire crisis team. As fined crisis scenarios. Under normal circum- a result, your dry-run scan can easily take stances, this might be a 45-minute meeting twice as long. n where your crisis management team con- venes. Review scenarios, test whether all steps remain accurate and check that names and Jock Breitwieser runs marketing communica- contact information on internal and external tions and PR at StorageCraft, the data backup contact lists are up-to-date. and recovery company. @jbreitwieseror jbreit- If your internal procedures change and [email protected]

26 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

SPAR: Make Your Crisis Communication Team Ready to Respond in 4 Steps By Dianne Anderson

aving a Crisis Communica- don’t. Then pull out your comprehensive CCP tions Plan (CCP) is critical. so you have it as you create your response. Keeping the plan’s steps top- of-mind for rapid recall when Step 2: Plan – Assign Responsibilities you need it is difficult. Unless Determine who will do what. the plan is practiced or used frequently, it A comprehensive CCP includes a pre- Hlives in a file until all hell breaks loose. Then determined list of possible roles for the PR you find yourself scrambling to review it team. It outlines responsibilities and duties while media are parked outside urgently tex- for each position in detail. The plan is flexible, ting, emailing and calling for your response. adaptable and scalable to fit various types of Simplifying the steps and assigning an acro- emergencies. nym to your CCP can make your plan memo- In a full crisis situation, a communication rable and user-friendly. Borrow a motto from contingent could be assigned specific roles such the U.S. Coast Guard: SPAR, Semper Paratus, as: Lead Public Information Officer; Media PIO; Always Ready. For crisis, SPAR stands for Scan, Social Media Monitor; and Director of Internal Plan, Act and React, four clear steps needed and/or External Communications. You may to disseminate accurate information about an want to designate a scribe to document the swirl emergency situation in a timely manner. of incoming and outgoing messages. The PR team needs to be practiced at at- In a smaller emergency, one or two staffers tacking misinformation and defending the could take on several of these roles. organization’s reputation, especially in the After roles are assigned, develop key mes- midst of a crisis. sages about the response. This information Here’s how SPAR can help you more effec- can be used to draft news releases, prepare tively implement a CCP. talking points, create quotes or answer questions from media. Step 1: Scan – Gather Facts Your emergency CCP should include a When an emergency or crisis occurs, the tool kit to make the response faster while first thing to do is gather your communica- maintaining accuracy. It is beneficial to create tions team, and then the facts. This informa- pre-approved messages in text and email form tion will help prepare your team to answer that can be quickly adapted and released. classic media questions of who, what, where, Similarly, the CCP should also include when, why and how. readily accessible templates for news releases, Confirm as many details as possible to news advisories, a checklist for staging a help clarify the nature and severity of the news conference and a holding statement that incident. Note what you know and what you acknowledges something has happened and

promises more information will be released as and watching local media coverage, the PR soon as possible. team also must monitor Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, other social media, emails and Step 3: Act – Respond with Accurate, even phone calls to see if your messaging is Updated Information being received accurately and if it is adequate. It is time to act. The CCP should list the The team should respond to questions and emergency notification systems and protocols required or available to notify constituents, concerns, correct misinformation and pro- the media and the general public. vide updates on all social media platforms, as Depending on the nature and size of the well as to reporters and stakeholders. Creat- emergency, a variety of messaging may be ing a designated website for current facts and required, including responding to media and updating it frequently helps streamline the social media inquiries, setting up a call center process and control the flow of information. to handle questions from the public, changing Another part of reacting is reviewing your electronic billboards to visually alert the pub- response during and after the crisis. Was it lic and/or establishing a stand-alone website effective? Could you have created better mes- to provide updates or additional resources. sages? Is cleanup needed to clarify an inac- Decisions must be made as to whether news curate report? Was there a hiccup or a logjam briefings can provide enough information for that could have been avoided? the media and general public, or if a news conference should be held to offer more in-depth Most CCPs are extensive and detailed, answers and reassurance. An articulate, credible containing mission statements, objectives, and empathetic spokesperson should be identi- guidelines, contacts, templates, maps, how- fied and prepped to represent your organization to refreshers and other resources that might at a news conference or in high profile media be needed in a crisis. This is very important interviews. All of this messaging should be information that your team should review released in a timely manner to head off inaccu- and update periodically. But if you strip down rate or misleading information that can spread your CCP to its basics, the four-step SPAR rapidly when official statements are unavailable. process—Scan, Plan, Act and React —must be n Step 4: React – Monitor the at the heart of it. Conversation and Interact In the age of social media, it is critical to Dianne Anderson is the former director of me- monitor the social reaction to your emergen- dia relations & communication at The Univer- cy response and to react. Along with reading sity of New Mexico.

28 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Why Simple, Approved Messaging Is Critical During a Crisis By Kevin Stickney

here’s a direct relationship be- you are a large energy firm responding to an tween the threat of a major crisis environmental disaster or a small clothing and the organization it impacts. retailer with a product glitch, you have the Generally, the more prominent a same chance to convince the ever-hungry brand, the more resistant to the media—and your consumers—that the brand potential negative effects of a crisis. is sincere and secure. TThere is perhaps no more prominent brand Situational brand moments, however, are than the U.S. government and its guarantee temporary and require a lot of follow-up. The for the safety and well-being of the American safest approach is to have a comprehensive people. The COVID-19 crisis is a clear dan- crisis management plan. This should include ger to the enduring reputation of this brand. simple statements prepared well in advance Competent, although often disconnected, that convey necessary information to the pub- mayors and governors have waged multiple lic and help to stop brand equity loss. battles against the virus. The same can be said for what is widely considered an incompetent, A Race Against the Clock hollowed-out federal administration. There are many aspects to the fast and ef- Unlike crises that deflate corporate earn- fective management of a crisis. These include ings and customer trust, COVID-19 is a responsiveness, transparency, honesty and threat to personal and public health. Nev- non-verbal communication. ertheless, the basic rules of strategic crisis However, no aspect is more important management apply. Corporations have set than messaging. It doesn’t matter if you’re an examples for decades. institution, corporation or not-for-profit—or A strong corporate brand identity usually whether the crisis is malpractice, malfeasance articulates clear core value propositions while or personal injury. If you don’t have a clear set making a silent promise to consumers about of core messages relevant to the event unfold- its ethics and integrity. When a crisis hits, ing, you will suffer the opening death knell to message rollout and quality can suffer. This what every crisis threatens: reputation. happens to many companies, even those with As we noted, the ideal situation is one in sophisticated PR teams, trained managers and which a carefully prepared and practiced plan deep pockets. (And plenty of lawyers.) exists. Too often, these blueprints remain in A crisis tends to reset the clock on a brand, the planning and budgeting phase or on a essentially granting a short window for a bookshelf somewhere when the chaos ensues. situational brand image. The immediate and During crises, public attention is plenti- convincing response made (or not made) ful but time is in short supply. In an era of to a crisis creates such an image. Whether instant gratification and minute-long news

cycles, misinformation ricochets indefinitely across the internet in the time it takes to craft Checklist: How to Face a a couple of sentences as a response. In this age Confrontational Media of communication, one thing is clear: Mes- ¨¨ Always express sympathy, com- saging for a crisis cannot be reactive. passion and urgency for matters of safety, environmental threat, destruction of property or public concern. If you don’t have a clear set of ¨¨ Take charge. You’re the location and relevant core messages, you subject matter expert on site. will suffer the opening death ¨¨ Manage the interview setting to con- knell to what every crisis trol media visuals. threatens: reputation. ¨¨ Take your time to formulate answers. Don’t be afraid of silence. ¨¨ Practice. Before a crisis hits and dur- It can’t be written on the spot. It must not ing, preparation is key. Rehearse drills, media interviews and messaging. be crafted as a response to anticipated ques- ¨¨ Don’t hesitate to say, “We can you tions asked of an issue that already has been get you additional information on that answered wrongly and circulated on Face- topic,” particularly if you don’t know the book for hours. A prepared response cannot answer. Promise responses by a specific time, and deliver on your promise. be effectively introduced when images of the ¨¨ Don’t struggle to answer tough ques- burning building premiered two hours earlier tions. Provide your planned message. on YouTube. Do this by bridging from negative to positive and specific to general. The Mindset of Messaging There is a certain mindset needed for developing messaging in a crisis. This mindset follows these truths: Adapt Core Values to Form Messages ■■ Media is entitled to your organization’s Since time is in short supply when a crisis availability, transparency and honesty. hits—and unless a crisis management plan ■■ You and your organization are the ex- with approved messaging exists—there are perts about your business. limited options for developing the platform. ■■ You control the message through prepa- However, what does exist are a company’s ration and anticipation. The message that core values. These values provide the under- effectively addresses the crisis does not pinning of a solid message system and may be necessarily answer the media’s questions. adapted readily to circumstances. They may ■■ Your message should acknowledge those elements of the event for which you take include commitments to transparency, good responsibility and describe the steps that governance, employee safety, business ethics, you and your colleagues will take next. personal integrity, environmental compliance ■■ Your message should confirm your and so on. accountability, show compassion and The benefit is that these values generally integrity and establish your company’s already are approved internally and legally commitment to improve. vetted. They are clear expressions of the elements of culture and governance that every company should exhibit.

30 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Words Matter. Where Do We Find the Right Ones? In the chaos and confusion of a crisis event, ¨¨ Our company is committed to transparent it’s often difficult to create appropriate and and accountable operations. effective messaging—especially if there isn’t Some possible basic messages: a crisis management plan to provide a guide 1a. “We experienced an incident today and are with ready responses. working with first responders to quickly ensure In these cases, it’s best to instinctively follow the safety of our people and neighbors.” the work already put into your company’s core [Accountable. Safety as the top priority.] values and beliefs. For example: 2a. “We remain committed to protect the A nuclear power facility suddenly experiences public and environmental health of our what it fears is a radioactive leak. Alarms are neighbors. We will quickly move to investi- issued and first responders notified. Employ- gate and disclose to you any impacts of to- ees complain of physical symptoms, and day’s accident and take necessary measures neighborhoods, residents and nearby schools to make sure they do not recur.” are alerted and vocal. The media—from local to social to international—start to ask ques- [Responsible. Transparent. Active.] tions and demand responses. 3a. “Once we ensure employee and public You have no prepared responses or protocols safety, secure the situation and better under- for communications. Below is a list of your stand what happened, we will be available company’s core values. Following are how to discuss with you what we have learned, they might lend to immediate and relevant core what we have done and what next steps will messages in a specific crisis: be taken.” ¨¨ The safety of our employees and our [Safety-focused. Cooperative. Transparent.] neighbors is our highest priority. ¨¨ We strive every day to protect public and environmental health.

For example, in the event of a sudden fire steps to prevent it from recurring. at a company facility, you’re quickly able to If a disgruntled employee makes claims express key concerns for employee safety, against a senior manager: “ABC Corporation even without a quickly convened meeting of is committed to providing a safe workplace PR pros and management. The core messages and to observing the rights of all employees to make your case, and the supporting state- equal treatment.” ments validate those core messages. Support- We will thoroughly investigate this issue. ing statements always should return back to Or if there are sudden and major environ- your top core message. Often, these suggest mental violations at a plant: next steps as well. “ABC Corporation is dedicated to full envi- Here’s one we’ve heard repeatedly during ronmental compliance at its plants and the the early weeks of COVID-19: “ABC Corpo- protection of human and natural resources.” ration is first and foremost concerned for the Once we uncover the specifics of the safety of its employees.” claims being made today, we’ll announce In normal times you follow with: Once we steps to provide permanent solutions. confirm their safety, we’ll work to investigate the cause of the (fill in the incident) and take

The Importance of Pivoting “What is most important is that this company This is especially poignant when consider- takes full responsibility for this matter and ing how the COVID-19 crisis has been man- will quickly investigate this situation.” aged, at least up to now, in May 2020. When someone claims that a company Local authorities focused their messag- deliberately polluted the environment, bridge ing on citizen activities, healthcare worker to a safer ground: “Let me be clear about our protections and first responders. State and position. ABC Corporation is strictly regulat- regional officials reported medical trends and ed and has a steadfast commitment to being a advised hard-hit businesses. responsible environmental steward.” The federal government, or at least the ex- Other bridging phrases include: “Your ecutive branch, unfortunately, tuned much of readers will be more interested in learning…”, its messaging to accusations and finger point- “That’s not our primary concern here…”, or ing. This trickled down, staining the country’s “Let me repeat what has been said earlier…”. global brand and hampering local efforts to In the end, absent a well-developed crisis coordinate fighting the disease. management plan and well-trained spokes- When responding to public or internal people, protecting your company’s brand audiences during a crisis, use the clear, simple reputation is paramount. To do this, adapt core values already established. These form your values on matters such as safety, com- the basis of a quickly prepared system that enables you to relay your message and “bridge” pliance, business ethics, transparency and to a more positive, more accepted position. accountability. Most important, remember to This is especially important when you haven’t avoid the temptation to just answer questions. had time to work with internal teams on a You have a brand to defend and a reputation n detailed response plan. to uphold. For example, when asked about financial irregularities, bridge to a more secure topic, Kevin Stickney is senior advisor at Matter such as operational transparency and ethics: Communications [email protected]

32 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Speed + Strategy Create Crisis Communications Success By Scott Rainone

ongratulations, your organiza- successful. Basing today’s plans on lessons tion is well-protected because from yesterday is a good start; however, the you crafted, tested and updated speed at which communications is evolving a great crisis communications means yesterday is a lifetime ago. Just like reg- plan. Now, do you know where ular testing of your plan, strategy evaluation it is? Good. When was the last time you is a key part of the readiness and improve- Cevaluated it? Depending on how long ago you ment process. It will reveal the strengths and crafted your plan, it’s probably time. weaknesses of your approach. Crises evolve The emergence of social and digital chan- over time. Your plan must do the same. nels, followed by the near total engulfing of Some areas of your plan to check and fine- most consumers’ lives by them, means that tune include: the shelf life of your perfectly crafted crisis ■■ How Your Crisis Plan Fits communications plan can be hours. The crisis communications plan should be Tools, tactics and threats emerge fast. You integrated into your organization’s emergency could go to bed feeling great about your plan preparedness and management plan, as this and wake up to find a government official has typically outlines the infrastructure and pro- raked your organization over the coals. Per- cedures to respond to major emergencies. haps a former employee is publishing internal While every crisis does not rise to the documents to a wiki. level of an organizational disaster, the crisis Even though some say that crisis man- communication plan must be tailored to the agement and communications are all about company’s strategies and goals. speed, PR pros know that a solid strategy is Determine with a critical eye how your paramount to ensure you do the right things plan incorporates and supports your larger for the right reasons at the right time. emergency and disaster plans. Is your plan implicitly clear on who decides if something Speed and Strategy Evaluation is an emergency or a controversy? There is a need for a rapid, professional re- Your plan should focus on outlining roles, sponse that is efficient, empathetic, account- duties and procedures that guide information able and transparent. However, most crisis sharing in times that threaten lives, reputa- communications plans include phases focus- tions and financial wellbeing. As communi- ing on prevention, preparation, response and cators, we know the doctrines of successful recovery. Usually, they are based on experi- crisis response: Own it, do everything pos- ence gathered from previous events. sible to solve the problem, address questions Constant evaluation of your plan’s strategy and concerns and take steps to make sure it is a key factor in making sure your team is does not recur.

■■ Crisis Team Composition When assembling your core crisis com- Starting the Crisis Plan munications team, you likely have included Evaluation Process indispensable individuals: your organization’s The saying that you should never at- leader, senior executives and possibly repre- tempt to eat the whole elephant in one sentatives from legal, HR and other key areas. bite resonates for routine evaluation of As the communications lead, you under- your crisis communications plan. At- tempting to appraise every aspect of stand the purpose and goals of your strategy. your plan is intimidating and overwhelm- Assess whether each member of the team also ing. Start the evaluation process in knows these. Are your team members aware stages. Determine which components of individual roles and responsibilities that are most critical. Routine evaluation provides an opportunity to improve the outline critical functions? Or do they know effectiveness of the plan and helps you to report when someone calls to tell them a allocate resources efficiently. crisis has occurred? Some ways to find your starting point: Examine how your team interacts. Is there ¨¨ Analyze if your plan is flexible enough an opportunity for team members to cross- to address challenges such as changes train on different functions, in case the crisis to crisis command location and avail- requires more deployment in one specific ability of personnel and technology. ¨¨ Determine your specific audiences, area? Your plan and directions should provide not just the public, and ones that an a detailed understanding of who is respon- incident might impact. sible for gathering information and making ¨¨ Test potential messages with audi- decisions, as well as what protocols ensure ence members to determine if they your team has the latest information. resonate in the ways you intended. Ensure that every professional involved in ¨¨ Explore whether your messages are best suited for the communication a communications stream for your organiza- channels you have planned to use. tion is also part of your team, avoiding the ¨¨ Determine whether stakeholders are unfortunate possibility that a social media informed about a topic important to channel is heralding a financial success at the your organization that may arise and, if they are not, develop ways you same time the media is reporting on a threat might be able to inform them. to public safety. ¨¨ Determine whether the contributors Determine whether all members of the on your crisis team have the training core team have the appropriate resources to and resources needed to succeed. communicate in a crisis. You might want to ¨¨ Use interviews, focus groups and surveys to incorporate feedback from train all members to deal with the public and target audiences and others into the news media, even if that is not their usual planning and evaluation processes. role. (What happens if the crisis sidelines leadership or your designated spokesperson?)

Assessing Messaging and Channels additional threat analysis at regular intervals. When drafting a plan, PR pros identify the most likely potential events that could occur. This can ensure approaches remain relevant Then they create approaches and templates to or determine whether new threats need to address them. be addressed. In addition, templates cre- A successful plan includes ways to conduct ated to provide quick, effective key messages

34 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

and facts need to be consistently evaluated reporting on an issue. to include the most up-to-date information. In today’s diffused world of communica- An old or ill-worded response can hurt your tion channels, do the networks you use make organization and create questions about man- the most sense for the people you are at- agement’s ability to address concerns. tempting to reach? One poorly handled incident can be fatal, Every day, more organizations are un- even for venerable brands and organizations. In addition to potential incidents, almost der threat from actual and perceived crises. every crisis communications plan has a list Evaluating your crisis communications plan of relevant target audiences. Check to ensure and approach routinely allows you to not only these are specific and timely, with current respond intelligently, but also make invest- contact information, including how these key ments in people, tools and technologies that contacts want to be reached. A voicemail left ensure strategic alignment and successful for a key executive at the office during a Sat- operations. The alternative is to do nothing, urday incident does not prepare him or her because you know what they say when you when attending a public event that evening. assume everything is OK. n Further, determine who else needs to be part of your communications universe. Are local government officials, advocates or Scott Rainone is managing partner at Fahren- known critics part of your protocol? They heit Strategic Communications. almost certainly will be part of the media’s [email protected]

Rapid-Response Tactics for When Your Brand Gets Negative News Coverage By Seth Arenstein

ne of the pleasures of writing associated with meatpacking facilities, includ- about communications and ing at least 30 deaths, according to Midwest PR is that the field is vast and Center for Investigative Reporting—corona- open to a variety of topics virus is not a food-borne illness. and sources. Reporting about So, when negative news, such as a recall or brands in the food space put us in contact a possible E. coli outbreak, hits the headlines, Owith the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and a slew how should brand communicators handle of excellent food-safety publications. It was a it? And since most readers work outside the mixed blessing. You discover quickly that re- food sector, let’s broaden the discussion: How calls and safety issues occur nearly every day. should communicators react when their brand You’re uplifted to know that we have better gets negative news coverage? We’ll use food as technology to regulate food prep and packag- a jumping-off point. The tactics and strategies ing than previously. covered should apply to most sectors. On the other hand, reading editorials in For Gene Grabowski, the veteran commu- industry publications about the lack of gov- nicator who handled two large food recalls, ernment spending for food safety tends to CRF Frozen Foods and Dole Package Salads, weigh on one’s mind. Trips to the grocery there are several tactics specific to brands in store become less pleasant. Mix that with the regulated industries. Still, much that he coun- angst of leaving home during coronavirus and sels is applicable across the board. distancing restrictions, and a grocery run becomes slightly more pleasant than root canal. Speed Kills…a Negative Story The majority of recalls and safety-issue A partner at kglobal, Grabowski says actions fail to gain national media attention, speed is paramount on several levels. First, it’s of course. It’s likely the same with recalls and essential for a brand to get out in front of neg- issues in most sectors—it’s the major events ative news, such as a recall. “You can’t wait for that receive coverage. the government to be the first voice heard,” Communicators, though, are unable to he says. With regulated sectors, a brand often relax. What seem to be small or middling needs to include certain elements in its first incidents can grow like bacteria, thanks to so- release to meet statutory regulations. cial media. And, of course, huge food-related After the first release, a brand should put events, like the Chipotle E. coli incidents, or out a second one, telling its story and adding large recalls of food products, always are pos- context. It used to be a second release was sible. For all the issues with meat-processing harmful, but not anymore, Grabowski says. plant closures—as of this writing, there were “If you don’t frame your story, others will.” 6,300 reported positive cases of coronavirus Stephen Payne, VP, corporate communica-

36 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

tions, Feld Entertainment, says, “I’m a firm quickly, it certainly is the truth.” believer in rapid response, even if the communications are not in response to a crisis. Lights, Camera… By rapidly addressing issues you help prevent After you’ve issued your statement, or your something small from mushrooming and be- second statement in the case of a regulated ing more difficult to manage.” industry, it’s time to “think about your video,” On another level, the message has to be Grabowski says. The video should be done speedy, too. “If you can’t say it fast, you’ll lose,” Grabowski says. “Nobody’s reading any- and online within the first 72 hours of nega- thing that’s not short…nobody’s even reading tive news hitting. long blog posts.” You have options. It can be an apology He points to the popularity of Twitter with video or an expert’s retort to the negative brands and politicians. “They’re not talking to news. Perhaps your CEO will appear. reporters, they’re tweeting …even regulators In any case, it needn’t be a polished, are using social.” smooth corporate video. In fact, those are A veteran of food industry PR, Hinda not as credible. Grabowski prefers “a simple, Mitchell, president, Inspire PR Group, urges brands to have “a dark page, or hidden web- unscripted video…I like to brief the subjects, site page, ready to take live to share recall- but let them work from 4-5 talking points.” specific information.” Another tip: shoot with two cameras, as it Broadening that to other industries, she will make editing easier. says, “There just simply is no substitute for preparation. Any company can and should Ideal vs. Foolish Transparency identify the highest risks, most likely crisis Certainly be “as transparent as possible,” scenarios and then work a plan to address Grabowski says. “Rip off the Band-Aid and them.” She adds, “Figuring out how to post in tell the story…plenty of companies talk about 280 characters is not something you want to transparency and few deliver.” Still, Grabows- be doing while in crisis mode. Craft template responses now.” ki cautions, “Don’t be foolish” about transparency. Set limits. Social Makes Brands Like Politicians Payne agrees. “In the case of a systematic The immediacy and ubiquity of the digital campaign against [your brand] by outside world has forced brand communicators to groups, transparency can be used against you. strategize as if they were managing a politi- Understand the situation and realize the play- cal campaign, Grabowski says. “Due to social ers before deciding how open to be.” n media, [a brand] can’t allow a statement to go unchallenged…the culture today, particularly millennials, often assumes the first thing they Seth Arenstein is an editor at PRNEWS. hear is the truth…and if it’s not corrected [email protected].

How to Use a Content Plan During a Crisis By Taral Patel

s communicators we know keep a check on brand mentions, especially one word that can shake up the negative ones. an organization: crisis. You While this seems obvious, you’d be sur- come across headlines about prised at how often this critical step is missed companies dealing with a crisis during the heat of a crisis. There’s a lot to be almost every day. But have you pondered how done and this crucial action of social listening Ayou would deal with such a situation if you sometimes fails to be addressed. had to face it? Thanks to technological developments, Survey after survey indicate slightly more you can employ a number of tools to conduct than half of firms have a solid crisis plan; social listening. Tools such as Awario, Social fewer practice crisis scenarios regularly. Mention, Mention, Hootsuite and others In this digitized world, a well-worded press will help you track brand mentions on social release is no longer enough to pacify your media platforms, as well as on other websites, audience. You need to have a well-planned forums and news sites. content management strategy that will help Google Alerts is another useful tool that you salvage your brand’s name. Here are some can help monitor reputation on various on- content tips that may help when crisis strikes: line channels. It keeps you updated about the positive and negative things being said about Your Website to the Rescue your brand. Communication is key to crisis manage- By using these tools, you will know which ment and it should start with your website. channels to focus on, based on the number of The website is a source of owned media that negative mentions. Create appropriate con- helps you communicate directly with stake- tent that can be distributed across channels. holders and clear the clouds of doubt. You Study brand mentions thoroughly to under- might also consider having a crisis-only dark stand the seriousness of the situation before web site that can be deployed quickly. crafting your messages. This includes tracking When crisis strikes, modify homepage user behavior, reactions, commonalities in content to address the issue directly. Tell your comments, the age group triggering the crisis audience how the brand is working to address and the location that is sending the most this issue and announce results achieved thus comments. With this information, you will be far. People understand mistakes occur. What in a better position to handle the crisis. matters more is how you rebound. Brand Story and Success Stats Brand Mentions Many people believe the human connec- When handling a crisis, it is important to tion is the heart and soul of a business. This

38 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

human aspect becomes even more important Running a keyword analysis will help you when reconnecting with audiences during, track content that comes up for the most- and just after, a crisis. Loyal customers often searched keywords. Type into Google a cur- are brand advocates and will help you emerge rent crisis, such as “Amazon employees” or from the crisis. “Tyson coronavirus” and see what comes up Storytelling can help build relationships in the Top Stories area of Google. and create positive sentiment around your In non-coronavirus times, a PR agency brand. A brand story is all about telling the with connections to top journalists and edi- truth and doing it well. Some factors to keep tors can help brands earn positive coverage. in mind when building a brand story: This can be expensive, of course. ■■ Make sure the story is true and has a hu- Businesses with small budgets need to man touch. track negative results and create an aggres- ■■ Keep it simple. sive SEO strategy to circulate fresh content to ■■ Make sure the story connects with your push down negative stories. intended audience. ■■ Align the story with the situation and Auto-Generated Messages speak about what you are doing to mend As we know, social channels allow brands the problems. to communicate directly with audiences and ■■ Instill a sense of trust with the audience. get out messages instantly. Communicate as Brand stories are never about your com- frequently as you think appropriate, but avoid pany; they are about customers and the value using auto-generated messages. they receive when engaged with your brand. Auto-replies can be great time-savers, but For an excellent example of storytelling, read things can go wrong. about the Toms Shoes brand and how it provides shoes to needy children. Conclusion In an era when every brand is fighting to Mistakes happen regardless of how vigilant get a foothold in its respective industry, the a brand is about its activities. With a strong most decisive factor can be whether or not content management plan, brands can take people like your brand. A strong brand story control of the negativity and preserve their can help you get audiences to develop an af- reputation. Care for your customers and finity toward your brand. An obvious piece of take them into confidence to clear the haze advice: don’t wait for a crisis to begin story- of doubt. A proper plan can save your brand telling and gaining brand advocates. and ensure enhanced trust with existing and SEO Can Be Your Savior potential customers. n If you think SEO is dead, think again. When a crisis strikes, people often turn to Taral Patel is a PR executive at PRmention. search engines to find news updates. @connect2taral.

How to Build a Flameproof Crisis Team That Can Handle Any Eventuality By PRNEWS Editors

n today’s rapid-fire world of commu- Create a Crisis Command Center nications, one tweet or Facebook post Brasche mentioned a centralized mission can tear down a brand’s reputation. control to consolidate and visualize clients’ cri- One of the major facets of being sis reporting and processes from a data stand- prepared for a crisis is having a staff point. Meanwhile, Peterson’s team conducts that’s ready to respond and rebuild at a mo- full-day drills at a physical command center, Iment’s notice. set up specifically for crises. Teams work six Ken Peterson, senior communications to eight hours at a time. Representatives from strategist at Monterey Bay Aquarium, and PR, social media, marketing, sales, events and Randy Brasche, VP of marketing at Folloze, membership teams are called on to ensure “all shared five elements of their crisis team- of the right people are in the same room to building strategies with PRNEWS. reach a solution as quickly as possible,” Peter- son said. Drills include brainstorming sessions, Establish a Baseline team leader presentations and mock press Give upper management data-based conferences, with Peterson’s team occasionally updates. Brasche stressed the importance of even bringing in journalists to take part. establishing a baseline of positive and negative mentions so that brands can note exactly Invest in Planning, Training and Drills when a situation moved into crisis. Once this “We’ve earmarked a budget of $40,000 to baseline is established, team members can use take us through drills and training to prepare data to show senior management exactly how for crisis moments,” Peterson said. While this bad a situation is by using data: measuring may seem like a large amount, Peterson noted mentions, shares, tweets and re-tweets. that it was well worth the spend to ensure his staff is ready to respond in any crisis. Pre-Assign Individuals to Communicate Get Executive Buy-In …with media, stakeholders and the pub- Brasche advocated for a data-based solu- lic—no matter where they are. This messag- tion, with PR pros presenting upper manage- ing might occur on the brand’s official social ment with data points representing the tone media channels, an online newsroom or on of the current conversation around a crisis. individual team members’ social accounts. Peterson advised communicators to passion- “Tasks are pre-assigned to specific team mem- ately make the case to upper management bers best positioned to reach out to their key that a crisis could literally wipe out their stakeholders,” Peterson said. Points of contact organization. “Point to other organizations are prepared to work remotely in a case where that have responded [adequately and inad- responding on-site isn’t possible. equately] to crises,” he added. n

40 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Detect, Direct, Deflect: Prepare Your Brand for the Possibility of a Fake News Attack By Kristina Libby

he term fake news is everywhere, You’ll want to retain influencer talent that and with it the increasing con- monitors media outlets, blogs and social me- cern by corporate executives that dia channels for your brand name. When they their brand may someday be- find something that seems inflammatory or come a target. PepsiCo experi- otherwise harmful to your brand, they should enced a fake news cycle that dropped its stock have a process to flag it to a team who moni- Tprice by 3.5% on the day it broke and a 5.5% tors for this type of attack. decline overall that month. Finally, it’s critical that your team engage in Pepsi isn’t alone. Fake or false news has social media page monitoring that is 24/7 and touched Facebook, New Balance and even flags to a relevant manager when a piece of the Pope. And more is coming. With the in- false, unsubstantiated or otherwise unknown crease in deep fake technology and malicious piece of news content arises. forms of cyber-propaganda, it’s becoming more difficult to discern real news from fake. Direct: Respond as Quickly as Possible Brands must have a plan to combat a fake Once someone has flagged a piece of news attack. It should be at least four-fold, content, a brand will want to substantiate the encompassing digital media, PR, influencer claim. To substantiate, review the link. Deter- marketing and social media—employees in mine if it has been picked up on more web- each discipline should be ready to engage at a sites, shared or otherwise seems to be gain- moment’s notice. The faster a brand can coming traction. At this point, the social media, bat fake news, the better the results will be for digital marketing and PR teams should meet mitigating its impact. to discuss the potential response pattern. Once the decision to respond has been made, Detect: Find the News Before the Rest a brand should: The first step in a brand plan is to find the ■■ Post responses across all relevant social fake news before your competitors or others networks and owned channels, sharing can spin it. This means you need to have an that the information is false. always-on monitoring approach for men- ■■ Reach out to local and national media to tions of your brand. This approach should refute the claims. include software that is constantly monitoring ■■ Engage with influencers to share that the for brand mentions. A simple tool is Google information is false, thank those who Alerts, but other tools include IFTTT (for flagged it and prepare a statement or advanced monitoring) or TalkWalker. request for influencers who wish to help Additionally, utilize an influencer network combat the news. that is working on your behalf constantly.

Deflect: Grow Your Voices of the fire of fake news—they post your Once a brand has responded to the fake positive news spin, call out those who news, it must amplify the response in a shared the story, engage in a dialogue counterattack. This means pulling all possible and point interested people to your of- levers to share the truth. At this point, you ficial statement. don’t need to mention or reference the fake Using the above approach of detect, direct news, but you need to share information that and deflect will position brands well in the would make the fake news look even more fake. To do this: event of a fake news attack. The most impor- ■■ Position digital advertising spend to pro- tant thing to remember is to share the truth mote your social media post. in a way that reduces the ability for the fake ■■ Consider the use of advertisements on news to breathe. Your messaging must be social and web properties to offset the simple, straightforward and easy to share. news cycle. Note: Fake news is deliberately fabricated ■■ Activate your army of social media influ- information composed with the intent of encers. If a brand has used fake news and changing public opinion about a target. False trolls to spread news, you similarly can news started with a kernel of truth and, as use your army of social media influenc- happens in the children’s game of Telephone, ers to combat that news. However, these became twisted after numerous retellings must be influencers you have spent time across media platforms. It is less malicious with, have confidence in and developed n loyalty with. They should be the same than fake news, but no less impactful. influencers you employ to monitor conversations about your brand. These Kristina Libby is a professor at the University influencers then help you suck the air out of Florida and co-founder of SoCu.

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Digital Crisis Plans That Reposition a Brand for Success By Darius Fisher

oronavirus swept the globe with communicate with your digital community. such swift repercussions there Not only does this enable you to engage with was little time to draw up a plan customers and build upon your relationships, if you did not somehow already but being active on these platforms strength- have a pandemic response draft- ens the social media links in Google search ed. You cannot pretend things are normal; rankings. Building and strengthening posi- Cyou have to adjust to the way life has shifted tive web properties help strengthen page one for the global population. Doing nothing will of Google results, preventing negative news cost you everything. from sticking to the front page. In early May 2020, as this first wave of cri- Similarly, if it has been a while, or you have sis settles in, we see that behaviors of people never pursued positive press coverage, start everywhere have changed, some drastically. now. Hire a firm or designate someone in-house That could very well lead to a series of new to secure media opportunities. If you do not crises for brands, along with the added con- have anything newsworthy, generating thought cern of a second wave of coronavirus return- leadership and digital profiles for company ex- ing seasonally. Now is the time to plan for ecutives are valuable steps to take as well. what’s next, whether it is an economic down- Earned media and thought leadership create turn, viral public criticism or another round credibility and trust—and, just like social media of a global health crisis. profiles—provide positive content for Google to rank on your first page of search results. Pre-Crisis: Proactively Prepare If you employ earned media and increased The simplest and most cost-effective way to engagement on your social channels, you will survive a crisis is preparation. Do you have: have a good relationship and trust with your ■■ Active web properties that you update on customers should calamity strike. a regular basis? Finally, preparation of a dark site should ■■ A large online following? be a part of every crisis plan. A dark site is a ■■ Positive press? website built and launched if and when a cri- ■■ A statement prepared should disaster sis occurs. The website gives communicators a strike your business? vehicle to tell the brand narrative and educate Should no be the answer to any of these stakeholders on the facts. questions, you are in a vulnerable position. The components of crisis preparedness work During Crisis: Act together, building upon each other. Each one When a crisis hits, it is important to is critical to success. remain calm and avoid a knee-jerk reaction. Regularly update social media profiles and Acting quickly, without thinking, could make

matters worse. Gather your team to assess the contact them. damage and discuss next steps. Depending on the size of your company, it Whether the crisis is an internal issue or may be necessary to hire additional customer a global disaster, such as the spread of COV- service representatives to help with the influx ID-19, the company’s leadership needs to map of calls, comments and emails. out business’ goals and deliver messaging to staff. The message should be calm and strong Behavior Change and outline the company’s focus clearly. Lead- The most important and final step is to ership should confront the issue at hand di- change behavior. It would be wrong to sim- rectly, own it and address any initial mistakes ply continue business as usual while facing a made in handling it. Then move ahead with major crisis. how the company will continue to operate. For example, in the wake of coronavirus, Set a new standard for daily operations you must consider how it is touching your that involves more frequent communication employees, stakeholders and audience. across management and its direct reports. In addition, during non-pandemic times, It’s hard to realize how distracting a crisis is you need to be able to thoughtfully move until your team is in the middle of one. It’s forward from any mistakes your business even more difficult to regain focus to be able made that led to the crisis. Yes, you fired the to maintain productivity. Increasing internal employee who exhibited bad judgment and updates to highlight metrics and performance made mistakes, issued the voluntary recall that leadership is seeking will increase the or revised policies. But what series of events team’s respect for what it should prioritize, es- led to the crisis? Did you brush off earlier pecially if the team is spread out and remote, complaints about said employee, or put a new as is the case for most of us now. product on the shelf too quickly to ensure Do not bypass the need to fix whatever that it was properly labeled? was broken that may or may not have led to Whether or not the crisis was your fault, it the crisis. This could be mean cutting failed is important to reflect upon what you can do projects and reducing expenses, issuing a to ensure that this does not recur. voluntary recall, suspending or letting go of Your customers might forgive, but they will employees or updating policies. never forget. A second crisis could put you out of business. The Public Statement In addition to internal messaging, make Post-Crisis: Rebuild Your Brand sure your public statement addresses fully the While it is possible for a crisis to blow over, issue while clearly laying out steps you are that is rarely the case. Even if you took the taking to remedy the situation. In many cases, right steps before and during your crisis, the it should also contain an apology. Post your online fallout can last forever if you do not statement on all social accounts and share take an active approach to repair the damage. with traditional media outlets. If you have a If you haven’t already, hire a PR firm or dark site prepared, now is the time to launch someone in-house to help you communicate it to get out your message. to the masses how you are making strides It is important to never waver from your to be a better company. They can also help statement. Ensure that everyone has copies of secure thought leadership opportunities that the statement in case the media or customers will help restore lost credibility. In most cases,

44 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Chapter 1: The Crisis Plan

Case Study: Neon Lipstick Co. ments regarding the FDA letter. In addition, the brand created a facts and fiction webpage to Crisis: FDA Letter questioning an ingredient in popular product after a series of other contro- address the FDA letter as well as past con- versies troversies the FDA letter re-surfaced. Despite the barrage of damaging press and a storm of Neon Lipstick Co. (NLC) is a popular inde- social media backlash, the company managed pendent cosmetics brand. Following a history to survive and remains controversy-free more of controversy that it was working to move than one year later. beyond, Neon received an FDA letter about an unapproved ingredient in its most popular Case Study: Dr. Plastic Surgeon product. A large group of mainstream and Crisis: Four negative links on the front page industry media outlets picked up the story. of Google results following news surrounding First, NLC investigated the allegation and real- the surgeon’s divorce ized that it was a misprint on its packaging, Dr. Plastic Surgeon is a highly sought-after and that the unapproved ingredient was not professional. After a divorce made headlines, present. NLC sent its product to an indepen- his search results focused on the divorce dent lab for testing to confirm the finding. In rather than his work as a skilled surgeon. The addition, NLC released a statement that in- doctor sought an online reputation firm that cluded an apology and explained the packag- helped him secure positive press coverage, ing misprint. It also mentioned that the product positioning him as an industry thought-leader. already was on its way to an independent lab The doctor didn’t have established social for confirmation. channels. The firm built him a website that Since NLC has such a loyal online following, highlighted his achievements in plastic surgery. the brand released a statement via social me- All of these properties were then optimized for dia. It also hired additional customer service Google search results. After about six months employees to answer phone calls, email and there was no trace of the divorce on the doc- respond to Facebook and Instagram com- tor’s first page of Google search results.

Google views new earned media and thought team that can consult on next steps. They can leadership contributions as more relevant help you suppress negative links and replace than older negative properties that focus on your crisis. them with those that represent you more It is also helpful to establish and actively accurately. While your reaction to a crisis is maintain a social media presence across important, being proactive and planning for a relevant platforms. Similar to positive media crisis is crucial. If you build a strong founda- coverage, the benefit is twofold. Social channels allow you to reconnect with customers. tion, your brand will be unshakable, even in They also serve as positive assets online that the worst of circumstances. n will help replace the negative coverage from the crisis. Finally, if all else fails, seek help from an Darius Fisher is CEO and co-founder of Status experienced online reputation management Labs.

Reputations at Risk: Steps to Take When ‘Recall Fatigue’ Sets In By Mike Good

s a communications profes- lies on how quickly and easily a manufacturer sional (and consumer) you can execute so that it doesn’t snowball into a have likely experienced a prod- much larger health and safety issue, let alone uct recall. These days, product potential brand damage. recalls occur with such exhaustive regularity that they are becoming lost Steps to Take Aon weary consumers, creating unacceptable It is important to closely follow regulatory safety and public relations risks. guidelines—and even exceed them—to avoid This recall fatigue—when consumers are the recall fatigue trap and the brand damage so inundated with recall notifications that it can cause. they tune them out—is becoming a serious 1. Directly and swiftly contact consum- issue that can severely damage a company’s ers to ensure they can take the neces- reputation. Ignored or missed recalls not only sary actions to return or destroy the affect individual consumers, they can threaten product, schedule a repair or get a the health and safety of the public and the replacement or refund. It is critical to environment. The success of recalls often falls describe the risk effectively in the recall on the shoulders of PR and marketing pros announcement with messages that will tasked with getting out the word. motivate consumers to return or dis- While there are several steps you can inte- pose of the product. Recall experts who grate into a communications plan to address communicate with consumers know the problem, a more aggressive and coordi- special messaging techniques that will nated effort between government, manufac- spur consumers to act. turers and recall experts to improve recall 2. Ensure multiple follow-up notifica- effectiveness is critical. tions and phone calls to consumers It’s the government’s job to educate, gather to satisfy regulatory compliance rules data and get the word out through internet while also maximizing the return/dis- and newswire channels, communicate what’s posal rates of products. Follow-ups are at stake with a recalled product and rally the particularly important for products that public to do the right thing. are out of season because of consumers’ So, how can you step up your PR and crisis out-of-sight-out-of-mind proclivities. communications game when faced with a 3. Utilize customer loyalty cards to recall? As you may know, manufacturers are track affected consumers, providing responsible for swift notification, recall and real-time purchase history and contact restitution to consumers for their affected information. Manufacturers should also products. Speed matters. Consumer safety re- consider using a warranty registration

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4. Make it easy for consumers to re- Top Warning Signs of Recall spond. Even headline-making recalls Fatigue won’t necessarily trigger reactions if consumers feel it’s too much trouble. ¨¨ You’re not receiving remedy requests, even with a higher-priced item. Inex- Clients facing a recall should establish a pensive items are often thrown away, dedicated recall hotline and website as even though a refund, repair, replace- well as an email address for consumer ment or coupon is available. Pricier questions and responses if call volumes products, such as furniture or electronics, are not so easily discarded. are too high or communication in mul- ¨¨ You’ve been diligent about notifica- tiple languages is required. tion, but aren’t receiving many con- 5. Use a service that can perform repairs sumer questions. You’ve issued press and provide remedies in the field to im- releases, notified retailers and even announced the recall on social media. prove response rates by making it more Typically, that means phones are convenient for customers. For instance, ringing off the hook—often requiring medical device and pharmaceutical a scalable outside contact center to manufacturers may request a reply form manage the overflow. If you’re hearing radio silence, it may be because from healthcare providers and pharma- consumers aren’t aware of your recall. cies. These forms should be as simple as ¨¨ Response rates are low—but the risk possible to encourage timely responses. is high. It is unsurprising that a rela- 6. Offer a remedy for a recall that goes tively low-risk recall would fail to gain attention. However, more hazardous above and beyond consumers’ expecta- defects should theoretically cause tions. Consumers want reimbursements consumers to take notice. for a recalled product. Some manufac- ¨¨ If your company or client has the turers may choose to offer a credit or misfortune of experiencing a major coupon instead. If it is a high-priced recall at a time when no other is- item, they may opt for a partial reim- sues are making headlines, it’s likely your product recall will get more than bursement. While it is understand- its share of attention. On the other able that some executives may want to hand, if another recall is sucking up minimize the costs associated with a all the oxygen, yours may get lost in recall, they also need to consider the the shuffle. While no company wants to be inundated with negative head- repercussions. Lost customer loy- lines, if minimal coverage leads to low alty, legal fees and regulatory fines are response rates, there can be negative costlier in the long run. And a single consequences. consumer scorned can do exponential reputational damage on social media. It is generally wiser to offer a remedy that database. Most importantly, they need surpasses the industry standard. to keep all databases up to date, because 7. Be prepared. If a recall catches your gaps in purchase information lead to company or your client unprepared, poor participation rates. Bottom-line odds are they will trip up somewhere advice: over-communicate. Simply issu- and miss critical steps. They should ing a press release or posting one-time make a plan, update it regularly and store notifications won’t cut it. hold mock recalls to uncover the gaps.

All these steps point to the need for experi- stress relief for the manufacturer. ence and expertise. While your company or The good news is that recall fatigue is client may be tempted to go it alone to con- fixable. By applying the right mix of educa- tain costs, recall specialists can work closely tion, recall expertise and speed of execution, with communications professionals to save consumer behavior can be positively affected lives and brand equity, making their ROI to greatly improve participation rates and invaluable in a crisis. Not only do they know minimize harm to people and the environ- how to address the flagging concerns of con- ment. Done right, this strategy can help sumers to improve recall efficacy, they also handle the logistical burdens of the recall, contain brand damage and may even retain n public communications and meeting regula- consumers’ trust and loyalty. tory requirements. They offer speed, guidance and reduced risk exposure, not to mention Michael Good is VP at FinishMaster, Inc.

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Navigating Crisis Communications During Unprecedented Times By Power Digital Marketing Team

ever before has the word un- Customers and the Media precedented been used as many Customers must always be at the fore- times as it has this year. CO- front of a brand’s strategic plan. Creating VID-19 has influenced how an approved statement that addresses what businesses communicate with customers need to know to continue to trust stakeholders. It has become clear that brands you as a brand is highly important. Ensure, Nwill have to carefully navigate messaging dur- though, that you don’t overload customers ing this pandemic. Unprecedented times call with unnecessary information. for unprecedented strategic roadmaps. Likewise, building a three- to four-para- Ideally, your business should have a proac- graph statement for the media is recommend- tive crisis communications plan, but the real- ed. This approved communication should be ity is that many businesses rely on a reactive referenced according to media contacts’ needs approach. and include the who, what, where, why, when Developing a crisis communications and how of your organization’s approach to roadmap should be the first objective before keeping the public informed. For maximum sharing messaging with relevant parties. This coverage and ease of access, this media state- deliverable will ensure that your internal team ment should also live on your brand’s website. is on the same page and act as a go-to resource until the pandemic has resolved. Forecasting Potential Q+A Identifying the type of queries the media Internal Escalation Protocols and public may approach you with, and con- Before communicating with those outside structing responses in advance, will help your your business, it is crucial that internal mem- brand be perceived as informed and prepared. bers understand the new crisis protocols. This Set up Google alerts for brand mentions will allow you to present a unified image on to help you with predicting potential inqui- social media and other platforms. ries. In addition, your team should formulate Sending messaging internally, to team potential questions. members and stakeholders, is key to ensuring However, in the case that it becomes that future external communication is clear crucial to make a statement regarding COV- and undisputed. When inbound inquiries ID-19, or other unprecedented crisis, and you arrive, the entire team will be equipped with don’t have the time to construct a full crisis knowledge of the actions your business is tak- roadmap, you have the option of making a ing. The team will know which key speakers minimally viable product (MVP). are designated to deliver crisis messaging. An MVP is a statement that can be shared with external parties and addresses:

■■ Who is the targeted audience of this statement? ■■ Can anything from this statement be taken out of context and/or wrongfully interpreted? ■■ Will this help put the audience’s mind at ease, and does it address its concerns? ■■ Is this statement aligned with the brand’s image and values? ■■ Does this help to position your organization to come out of this crisis stronger?

Pivoting Multichannel Strategies During any crisis, it is important to review current or future campaigns, as they could be perceived as insensitive. Determining what actions are required to postpone or cancel a campaign, such as organizing and distributing a press release about the change, is another top task on the agenda. In the same vein, most campaigns are integrated closely with other channels, such as email or social media marketing. When you pivot your PR campaigns to support crisis communications, make sure that your action items also address other channels for a fully cohesive plan.

Navigating Email Communication Email has become one of the most utilized avenues for businesses to communicate updates to customers. Instead of reflexively sending updates, consider the following in addition to your PR roadmap:

Three Points to Consider 1. Has COVID-19 changed how you do business with your customers? If you’re 2. Appraise your relationship with users. an online retailer, for example, you If you haven’t sent an email to your sub- might not need to send an email mes- scriber list in more than three months, sage related to the virus. In this case reaching out now could backfire, de- there is no need to add to the flood of spite your good intentions. coronavirus emails in inboxes. 3. Evaluate the impact that COVID-19

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has had on your brand. If your business or open forums for conversations are valid has improved, market this sensitively, avenues to connect with audiences. without coming across as exploiting the pandemic. For example, you might want Conclusion to offer discounts on essential products As the COVID-19 crisis continues to and craft uplifting messaging. morph, the ultimate key to staying on top of changes is proactivity. The best way to pre- Social Media Communication dict messaging is to ensure that complacency Posting your stance and support, new ser- does not arrest the development of your crisis vice offerings and company changes on social communications roadmap. Consider what media is another good tactic. your brand can do to reassure stakeholders to Based on your brand reputation, try to emerge stronger in the future. n detect unique ways to strengthen your relationship with customers on social platforms. The Power Digital Marketing Team is a San Comic relief, educational and value-based Diego-based agency that works with such com- content, asks for help, live at-home content panies as Casper, Dropbox and Uber.

Crisis Communications Post-COVID-19: The Landscape Changed; the Principles Did Not By: Becca Cooper and Benjamin Thiele-Long

he COVID-19 pandemic will, no Every business, no matter the size, should doubt, be used as a case study in conduct regular health checks of its issues every webinar, lecture and article and crisis- communications capabilities. This about crisis communications for means asking hard questions and being hon- the foreseeable future. Already, est about your organization’s strengths and many believe the pandemic has rewritten the weaknesses, as well as knowing if you have Tcrisis playbook. We don’t necessarily agree. the right processes in place. What it has done is change the landscape Every business needs to ask: of how organizations communicate with the ■■ What are our strengths and weaknesses? public. Pre-coronavirus, trust was critical. ■■ Have we developed proactive and re- Now trust will be at the core of communi- sponsive messaging? cations. Organizations that act in the best ■■ Are our spokespeople media-trained? interests of their employees, stakeholders, ■■ Are we prepared to conduct retrospective and society will strengthen their bond with reviews of our crisis communications consumers for the long term. function? The pandemic, though, has not changed ■■ Do we have a plan for executive commu- the fundamental principles of issues and crisis nications? Who’s managing and writing? management. Listening to conversations, ■■ Have we evaluated and adjusted our in- through traditional and social media chan- ternal communications function? nels, always is the best place to begin crafting an effective response. Continually Maintain a Crisis Playbook Transparency, empathy and understanding Every organization should maintain a have been fundamental tenants of commu- crisis playbook, which should be periodically nicating during a crisis. And maintaining a reviewed and updated. How it is structured robust issues and crisis management strategy is up to you. Every crisis is different, so your and playbook will still stand any organization playbook offers guidelines, not train tracks. in good stead for the future, regardless of the But at a basic level, every playbook should crisis it faces. contain the following: ■■ Up-to-date contacts and a clear chain of Plan, Honestly command. There is a fundamental tenant of crisis ■■ Channel strategy for internal and exter- communications that will stand the test of nal communications time: a crisis is unplanned, but how you react, ■■ Key considerations for business lines and communicate and recover should not be. geographical areas ■■ Known allies, detractors and other stake-

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holders to manage the response. ■■ Draft messages and potential Q&As Oftentimes, brands delegate crisis response It’s also vital that everyone in your commu- on social to the CEO or key executives. They nications team knows the strategy and where the playbook is kept. Having the information can make statements via a long-form Linke- locked away with a senior executive is useless dIn or Medium post. This puts a human face when a crisis breaks. The CMO is not going to on the response. take a call from the tricky journalist at 4:30 on a Friday. Inform and empower your teams. For core channels, it’s imperative to:

■■ Have Your Online Ears Open Monitor how your audiences’ conversa- Often, crises rear their heads online—and tions are changing, in real-time. the conversation quickly goes social. Your ■■ Leverage channels to connect with your brand needs to have its ears open via social audiences authentically. Have a response listening and be ready to take the conversa- matrix for all team-members, and try tion offline quickly. Invest in solid social listening and tracking technology that can alert to get negative conversations offline via you (even predictively). Have the right team direct communication. in place to respond when things hit the fan. ■■ Reprioritize campaign budgets quickly But if that’s a long shot, you might need (you don’t want paid ads going out with to back up and first think about your overall toneless messaging!). digital readiness. How digital is your brand? Consider not just your infrastructure, but also ■■ Empower executives to engage online, your value proposition and overall culture. Is and consider channels away from owned your team agile and quick to create content? brand channels. How thorough and helpful is your online Ultimately, good crisis and issues manage- customer experience? Make sure you have the right technology and team in place, even if it ment aim to distill order from disorder. By means simple social listening alerts or regular planning well, listening carefully and commu- monitoring of social channels. nicating honestly, it’s possible to achieve calm. While some things about the way businesses Leverage Digital to Respond An immediate response to a crisis can communicate with audiences will change as quickly be handled on your brand’s website or a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these social channels. It is critical that it the re- fundamental tenets will help you navigate any sponse is coordinated. future issue. n When thinking about what to publish during a crisis, it’s correct to be cautious, think carefully about any outbound communica- Becca Cooper is head of digital at Cognito. tions, and ensure there is adequate manpower Benjamin Thiele-Long is director at Cognito.

Responding to Incidents That Aren’t Yet, But Might Become, Crises By Seth Arenstein

t’s generally accepted that brands are would you be doing now? highly vulnerable to crises. We’ve all heard the maxim, “It’s not a question of Incident Two if your brand will experience a crisis, The wife of then-New England Patriots’ but when.” The good news is that, as quarterback Tom Brady, supermodel Gisele Torod Neptune said during a PRNEWS event Bundchen, indicated to “CBS This Morning” Iwhen he was a VP of corporate communica- during an interview several months after the tions at Verizon (he’s now VP and CCO at end of the football season that her husband, Lenovo), communicators often know where arguably the sport’s marquee player at the most crises will occur. They can, more or less, time, suffered a concussion or concussions predict where a brand’s vulnerabilities are during the 2016-2017 football season. since they work across the enterprise. “As you know, [football is] not the most, But how about when it doesn’t take an like, let’s say ‘unaggressive’ sport. He had a experienced communicator to know that a concussion last year,” Bundchen said, accord- brand might be vulnerable? What should ing to nfl.com. “We don’t talk about it, but he brand communicators do in those situations? does have concussions. I don’t really think it’s Two incidents illustrate this point: a healthy thing for your body to go through that kind of aggression all the time…” Incident One There were no official reports of Brady David Allen Cripe, a South Carolina teen, having a concussion that season. Of course, ingested a fatal amount of caffeine within a there might be a reason for that. Brady’s team two-hour period in late April. Cripe collapsed at the time, the Patriots, and especially its in a classroom at his school and was pro- coach, Bell Belichick, are known for prefer- nounced dead of “a caffeine-induced cardiac ring root canal work without anesthesia to event causing a probable arrhythmia,” Rich- speaking with the media. PR just isn’t their land County Coroner Gary Watts said during thing. Still, the National Football League a news conference, CNN reported. The caf- requires reports about injured players to be feine was contained in a Diet Mountain Dew, made public. Betting on football just wouldn’t a McDonald’s café latte and an energy drink. seem fair without them. The story hit national and global headlines Concussions are a major issue for the NFL. after the coroner’s report was released. The league settled a six-year-old class-action If you were a communicator at Mountain suit former players and their families brought Dew (whose parent is PepsiCo), McDon- several years ago related to concussion syn- ald’s or numerous energy drink brands, what drome. Some 20,000 players might be eligible

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to obtain awards from the settlement. TheHouston Astros players waited a few Players who are suspected of having suf- months before they responded to findings of fered concussions are supposed to be re- a report from Major League Baseball (MLB) moved from games or practices under NFL that they cheated during several seasons. rules, known as the NFL Game Day Concus- And then, their February 2020 response was sion Protocol. a non-apology apology. Almost as bad, the Moreover, some groups are calling for baseball commissioner tried to downplay professional football to be outlawed due to the cheating in remarks he made about the the incidence of concussions. Traumatic brain incident. Fans and sports writers pilloried the injuries may increase the likelihood of a per- team and MLB. son developing Alzheimer’s Disease. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence waited The Brady story has spurred speculation several days before he admitted he should that he might have been faking his health to not have been mask-less during a visit to the avoid missing games due to a concussion. If Mayo Clinic in late April 2020. It took several Brady did in fact suffer a concussion, did the days before brands like PotBelly, the Los An- NFL know about it? How about his team? geles Lakers and Ruth’s Chris Steak House Bundchen’s comments went national the apologized for taking government loans moment her words were sounded on the CBS meant to sustain small businesses against the show. Sports network ESPN interrupted its coronavirus. A PRNEWS poll about the PPP national radio feed of “Mike and Mike” just debacle, conducted in late April 2020 had PR before 10 am ET to report the story. professionals split down the middle on the question of who would take the most signifi- The Reactions cant reputation hit, the large brands or the Several communicators we spoke with had federal government. similar counsel when asked about the Brady On the other hand, it’s foolish to rush in situation: Listen and monitor the conversa- with a knee-jerk reaction or an insincere tion before reacting. Brands should have in apology that contains a lot of qualifications their crisis management plans a method to and corporate-speak. assess whether something is an incident, a In the end, the NFL acted quickly. Just problem or has risen to the level of a full- hours after Ms. Bundchen spoke, the NFL blown crisis, several of those interviewed said. responded. “We have reviewed all reports So how long should brands monitor a situ- relating to Tom Brady from the unaffiliated ation before they release a statement or an neurotrauma consultants and certified ath- apology or react by doing nothing and allow- letic trainer spotters who worked at Patriots’ ing the story to die? home and away 2016 season games as well Crisis is a delicate dance. It’s a mistake, one as club injury reports that were sent to the communicator told us, to wait too long to re- league office,” the NFL said in a statement. spond: United Airlines took 19 hours before “There are no records that indicate that its response to the video of security dragging Mr. Brady suffered a head injury or con- Dr. David Dao off one of its aircraft. An obvi- cussion, or exhibited or complained of ous mistake since at that point the stakes had concussion symptoms. Today we have been been raised. in contact with the NFLPA and will work

together to gather more information from there’s a little bit of science to it, but it’s much the club’s medical staff and Mr. Brady. The more of an art. I hate to say it, but there are health and safety of our players is our fore- times you just have to take a breath and go, most priority and we want to ensure that all ‘Feels like [we should] jump in and fight it our players have and continue to receive the [and other times it] feels like, [we should say] best care possible.” let’s see where it’s going.’ It’s a hard call to Did the NFL do the right thing by releas- n ing a statement? Perhaps. make sometimes.” As Robert Hastings, EVP, CCO, Bell, said prior to the NFL’s statement being released, Seth Arenstein is an editor at PRNEWS. “The hard part with crisis response is that [email protected].

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2 Internal Communications

Building Resiliency Through Employee Crisis Communications Strategies By: Deborah Hileman

he scale and breadth of the ule and stick to it. In the early stages, a daily COVID-19 pandemic is unlike communique, released at a pre-set time, helps anything we’ve experienced. But manage employee expectations. established leadership commu- Messages should be clear, short and simple, nications principles apply to any recognizing that people have a more limited kind of protracted issue that fundamentally attention span in the early days of a crisis. Tchanges an organization. Communications should always focus on can- Every crisis has a lifecycle, and communi- dor over charisma, and leaders need to be honest cations need to evolve as the situation does. about the challenges facing the organization. In large-scale events such as the pandemic, Now is not the time to sugar-coat the situation. people experience uncertainty, stress and Transparency will build loyalty and trust, even anxiety about many things. when the news is bad. At the same time, it is im- In the early stages of a long-term crisis, portant to accentuate the positives and reinforce employees are focused on themselves, their the mission and vision of the organization. families and what is happening around them. They are not ready to think about the future Incorporate Regular Check-ins when the present has created such significant Employee engagement can be difficult challenges to everyday life, health and safety. when everyone is working from home. At the In the early stages of a crisis, there is an in- moment, leaders should keep in mind that creased human need for transparency, guidance the work-at-home environment is different and the ability to make sense of what’s happen- for each person. Not everyone has a well- ing. Yet early in the crisis is when leaders are equipped home office. Some employees are trying to make decisions with a dearth of facts, caring for homebound children or helping complicating already-difficult choices and mak- elderly relatives (or both). Leaders can build ing it harder to communicate complex issues. engagement through the simple act of check- When employees are seeking reassuring in with people, individually, to see how ances, leaders may have few to give. At this they are coping. Understand that their reality point, leaders should stop and take a breath. may be quite different from your own. Employee information needs will evolve, and Consider scheduling unstructured time at leaders’ messages should, too. the beginning of video meetings to check in with people. Build Trust with a Daily Communique Some video platforms have instant polling Regular, frequent communications become features that make it easy to take the pulse of an important connection that builds trust and the group. Try some simple activities to lighten community when people can’t be together. the mood and increase engagement, such as Establish a regular communication sched- quick games, a remote scavenger hunt, trivia

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contest or other team-building events. These change corporate culture and communica- kinds of activities help maintain a sense of tions. As businesses start to open up and corporate culture, combat social isolation and some employees return to the office, prepare generate connections across employee groups. to ramp up communications. People will As the crisis evolves, it is time to start think- expect the same level of engagement and ing about how to normalize the new normal. transparency that you’ve provided during the Chances are your organization’s cultural and worst of the crisis. Lay the groundwork now operational norms will change, and it will be to standardize new communications habits to important for employees to understand these maintain engagement and retain employees. new expectations. Leaders should be conscious Economically, things won’t be easy for of these evolving, unwritten rules and address quite a while for many companies. As such, them. New norms and expectations should be transparency and honest leadership will con- communicated clearly. If certain behaviors are tinue to be a must over the coming months. OK now, but not permanently, address them Build resilience by acknowledging what’s been now and let everyone know. Model the expect- lost and thanking everyone for their contribu- ed behavior; lead by example. tions and perseverance. Counterbalance the negative with positive Repeat Your Messages messages about the things your organization It should go without saying, but this bears is doing to help others and how your people repeating: messages need to be repeated, sev- are adapting to new ways of working. eral times, before they are internalized. There is a reason that brands run advertise- Cultural Rebuild ments multiple times during your favorite televi- At this stage of the crisis, it will be impor- sion show. The same is true of leadership messag- tant to rebuild a common culture and sense of ing to employees. People need to hear a message belonging based on shared norms, beliefs and nine to 21 times to maximize perception. If you values. Effective leaders will help employees want employees to think and act differently, you to make sense of the changes that all are being must communicate frequently and consistently. shared. Invoking common values and culture Those repeated messages do not always will help rebuild performance and provide have to come from the CEO. In fact, a best touchstones for healing. Leaders can accomplish practice suggests that employees should hear this by setting two or three simple goals around consistent messaging from multiple sources, which people can rally, and then modeling the especially their direct supervisors. Provide behaviors needed to meet those set goals. managers with talking points and set clear Behind every crisis are opportunities for expectations on how they are to be used. change and improvement. Making the most of opportunity in the face of this pandemic, or Perfection is the Enemy of the Good any long-term crisis, is neither easy nor quick. Strive for consistency and progress, not Organizations whose leaders engage in these perfection. You can forgive yourself if mes- kinds of best practices will emerge stronger sages are not perfect. Employees will forgive and more resilient, with more committed mistakes if they believe their leaders are doing workforces, and a blueprint for the future. n the best they can. But they won’t forgive a lack of honesty or transparency. They deserve Deborah Hileman, SCMP, is president & CEO, both, even when the message is not positive. Institute for Crisis Management. COVID-19 has, and will continue to, [email protected].

The Must-Haves for Your Executive Crisis Communication Procedures By Liz Liberman

hen a crisis hits, the a day-to-day basis. Does the person in volume of news can be charge change in a crisis, or can you mo- overwhelming. The fire- bilize additional resources? Does the per- hose of content is on full son change based on the type of crisis? blast, streaming directly You don’t want to find out during a chat at executives from every angle: peers, inves- at the (virtual) water cooler that you have a Wtors, board members and more. manager with a background in public health If you are tasked with distilling this infor- who isn’t being utilized. Know where you mation for leadership, the project can seem have expertise and use that to your advantage. daunting. While most communications de- If a financial crisis is on the horizon, know partments are experts at putting information who on your team has the foundation to un- into the world, many may struggle to invert derstand the jargon and the broader implica- the process during a crisis. The quality of tions. Identify the knowledge gaps on your news varies considerably, so leadership teams team and fill them ahead of time. need to know they can trust your communi- ■■ Frequency and Timing: What time do cation as the gold standard. your executives start their day? Do they The most critical step in managing the in- span multiple time zones? A 7am ET up- formation flow up to leadership happens be- date may suffice for a US-based firm, but fore a crisis hits. Organizations need to build if you have executives in London, how are infrastructure for executive crisis communi- they being serviced? Determine the fre- cation in advance. As many learned during quency with which you produce an update. the coronavirus pandemic, if you wait until No matter what, avoid falling into the trap the volume of information is as gargantuan as of forwarding news as it arrives. Your C-suite the news, you’ll scramble to react. likely does not have time to read full-text It’s crucial to establish your crisis commu- articles on an ad-hoc basis. Identify in your nication processes in advance. SOPs when you’ll send updates and stick to that schedule, so your leadership knows when Identifying Standard Operating to expect them. Procedures ■■ Distribution: Determine in advance how To be prepared for any crisis, you and your widely your updates will be distributed. team must develop standard operating pro- Remember, your job is not to inform cedures and revisit them quarterly, or at least your entire company about every piece of semi-annually. information related to the crisis. One so- ■■ The POC: Determine in advance who lution might be to distribute to VPs and runs point on monitoring the media on above, and allow them to pass on to their

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teams as needed. Save this distribution with a lot of data may have only one data list as a listserv or group email contact. point that’s relevant to your organization. Reply-all won’t cut it. It is up to you to sift through the noise to ■■ Format: Know how tech-savvy your put that figure in front of your leaders. leadership team is. Will executives expect Bear in mind that statistics often get a printed copy of your updates on their manipulated. The source of the data is just as desks, or do team members prefer some- important as the data itself, so be sure to use thing more mobile-friendly? Are they citations clearly. For coronavirus updates, pri- voracious readers, or do they want tight oritize data from the CDC, Johns Hopkins, bullet points? You’ll want to learn their NIH and other trusted institutions. preferences beforehand. As with frequen- ■■ Eliminate Bias: Remember the bit about cy, these are decisions that require buy-in a good POC? Someone with experience from your leadership team. in the field will be better equipped to sort through fact from fiction, but even they There’s a fine line between may have biases. Put a second or third presenting the reality of media pair of eyes on everything. coverage and shielding your If adding internal perspective, clearly label executives from it. it as such. When a journalist paints a negative picture, attribute the sentiment to the journalist, not to the situation. When the Crisis Hits There’s a fine line between presenting the ■■ Refine the Source List: You should reality of media coverage and shielding your already know whether your executives executives from it. If the news is bad, you are Wall Street Journal or New York Times can’t pretend it’s good. You might be inclined junkies. Look for additional sources that to say, “Don’t shoot the messenger,” but that’s consider the news through your particular not a winning strategy. industry lens. Instead, find an approach that won’t in- You also already know the list of trade flame your leaders, but also don’t leave them journals in your space, but keep in mind that in the dark. those sources may be slower to report on If you’re not already briefing your lead- breaking news. Which are the most up-to- ers regularly on the coronavirus, it’s time to date, reliable and evidence-based? rethink how you communicate with them. For example, if you have a warehouse in Following these steps will provide value for coronavirus-stricken Italy, consider looking at your executives and remind them of the many top Italian news directly or monitoring trust- ways the communications department is a ed sources for international news. Be careful vital member of the crisis team. with sources that have political leanings. If the above seems was overwhelming If you have a Google News alert set up during the pandemic, it’s okay to outsource. for coronavirus, you might be suffering from But, as soon as the pandemic settles down, get information overload. Use your source list as cracking on those SOPs so you’re ready for a tool to shrink down the volume of coverage. whatever occurs next. n ■■ Data, Data, Data: Save your CEO time by pulling data points out of articles and Liz Liberman is senior product development displaying them prominently. An article director at Cision.

5 Steps to Protect Brands From Employees’ Controversial Politics By Pia Singh

mployees expect their compa- The need for accelerated decisions and re- nies to stake out positions on sponses on sensitive topics has put new pres- numerous controversial social or sure on management teams. As one former economic causes. Today, many CEO stated, “Even if you want to keep [work Americans are motivated to en- and politics] separate, your customers, your gage in political advocacy or other activism. employees and the public may not.” ESome employees hold more extreme views As such, there are five steps that com- and may take part in activities that advocate municators and business leaders can take to violence, racism or other fundamentally un- ensure internal preparedness amid an unpre- acceptable ideas. dictable external environment. Such individuals may be identified in con- ■■ Know the rules. State and local laws nection with a public protest, or their work- governing employment vary widely. Keep place comments may snowball in the media. in mind that laws might not always align These situations can quickly create disruption with company policies. Conduct a review among coworkers, and they can also become of all policies governing employee con- a brand-building or brand-degrading mo- duct now, before an issue arises. ment for the employer. ■■ Know your stakeholders. Conduct- While some brands choose to stay above ing a stakeholder analysis will help you the political fray, standing by idly is not an understand all the parties that need to option when an employee is involved in be involved, the best ways to reach them intentionally provocative communications at and the potential challenges of working work or engages in off-duty acts that contra- with each. dict company values. ■■ Know the issue(s). Nothing is black and white. Most large corporations have “Even if you want to keep [work constituencies that draw from both sides and politics] separate, your of the political spectrum. As a result, customers, your employees leaders fear that taking a stand on an is- and the public may not.” sue might alienate millions of customers – and employees. Carefully weigh with your leadership team the pros and cons Reaction from coworkers, consumers, of specific responses and determine the investors and the courts can be swift and best course of action. harsh. Not making a company’s position clear ■■ Know your team of advisors. You’re not enough, or fast enough, in response to a situa- alone. Your HR, legal, labor and repu- tion or criticism can be a mistake. tation management teams are there to

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help, and should have a seat at the table run counter to your company’s core from the start. Host a joint session with beliefs? Can you afford to stay silent on key stakeholders and think through the this issue? scenarios you may face. Then, work side Once you’ve considered all of the variables by side to develop responses and draw up and conducted a thorough internal assess- formal policies. ment, develop a plan. This will put your ■■ Know your company. Ask yourself ques- company in a position to limit negative public tions to help determine when and how attention and minimize business impact and to speak with employees in response to n news events. Does your brand have a reputation damage. history of making political statements? Or do you take a more moderate tone? Pia Singh is a former vice president at Fleish- Does an employee’s off-duty activities manHillard.

Best Practices for Managing Internal Stakeholders in a Crisis By Michelle Jamieson

human or naturally caused crisis can have a significant Messaging Platforms and negative impact on an organi- Stakeholder Groups zation’s bottom line and repu- Part of establishing stakeholders’ re- tation if not properly planned sponsibilities is the need to establish the for and managed. Depending on the nature messaging platforms that allow the best Aof the crisis, not only can there be immediate communication. Each stakeholder group has different messaging requirements impacts, but the lack of a well-thought-out and there are many channels for commu- crisis response plan can exacerbate the loss nication. Different channels work best for of reputation and income if the wrong mes- different stakeholder groups. sage is sent either by the organization itself or Some of the platforms can be created through the media. in advance, such as generic dark sites, While a business may have a crisis man- webpages or websites that are unpub- lished but are already designed and agement plan, the media can still negatively populated with the necessary content to impact it if the wrong message is transmitted. go online in case of a crisis, needing only It is generally accepted that the best way to a small amount of updating based on the minimize the potential negative impact of a type of crisis. Part of the preparation of these messages may be scripts based crisis is to have a crisis management plan in on a variety of common crises. place of which all key stakeholders are aware. It is important to understand the effectiveness of each channel for various purposes in a crisis. Certain stakeholder The task of establishing groups may find the most effective chan- stakeholder responsibilities is nel is social media given its capacity for not the sole concern of those two-way communication. Employees in communication roles but need a variety of forms of communication to ensure that messages success- a collective responsibility of fully reach them. senior stakeholders.

Each type of crisis may require a different in communication roles but a collective set of actions. The key to communication in a responsibility of senior stakeholders. crisis is ensuring that each stakeholder group The larger communication context of an understands its role in the larger context of organization responding to a crisis involves the plan. many stakeholders who need to understand The task of establishing stakeholder re- their roles and responsibilities in the crisis sponsibilities is not the sole concern of those management process.

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It is not always possible to stop a crisis Spokesperson Skills from happening; however, it is possible to and Communications be prepared to mitigate the confusion and Requirements prevent additional problems stemming from An organization usually only gets one the response to the situation. This type of pre- chance to properly address any crisis paredness should be part of the daily conver- and to be properly represented to stake- sation within your team. holders, especially the media. A spokes- One key goal of the crisis management person should be identified who has certain skills to effectively navigate the plan is to move from reacting to the incident communications process during a crisis. to managing a strategy to overcome it. The The ability to effectively and comfortably plan needs to allay the concerns of each stake- communicate is a skill that not every holder group and position the business such executive has. The most appropriate that it can emerge successfully from the crisis. spokespersons utilize his or her public speaking skills as part of his or her job. The appropriate spokesperson must Stakeholder Management have the necessary language skills, a The list of stakeholders can be extensive. personality that allows him or her to con- Part of the planning process is identifying and nect with stakeholders and an ability to prioritizing the stakeholders who participate gain trust. Ideally this person should be well-recognized and internally trusted. in the crisis communication plan, which al- There must be systems in place to allow lows for the best understanding of who does the spokesperson to communicate with what, and why, for whom. employees. Is there a phone chain estab- With the stakeholders identified, a priori- lished? The ability to reach all employees tization exercise can be undertaken to define is essential. They must have up-to-date information and immediately be able to and clarify each group’s expectations—what become part of the crisis response effort. they are looking for and what they can expect, as well as obligations and prioritization. Each stakeholder group, internal and ex- This article does not address the entirety of ternal, requires different information to carry the crisis communications management plan out their roles. The way in which these stake- development and implementation process, holders are dealt with can positively or nega- but rather deals with internal crisis commu- tively impact the perceptions of the business. nication as a means of identifying the chal- It is essential to establish a chain of com- lenges of, working with, a set of stakeholders mand for decision makers. A crisis commu- within the larger process. nications plan requires a small team of senior Advanced planning and developing re- executives and employees to be identified sponsive management and communication with the skills and level of authority to take processes can minimize the impact on the or- charge of the response effort. ganization, its reputation, customers, partners The decision-maker in a crisis is respon- and employees. sible for the approval of outgoing messages, the designation of tasks, having budgetary au- The Overall Crisis Management Plan thority and communicating with key internal A crisis management plan is a living docu- stakeholders. Few can afford to have specific ment that requires regular testing, evaluation resources allocated to crisis communications, and review. and therefore an in-house or outside PR,

social media and marketing team would be tact the spokesperson to get specific messages enlisted for the purpose of message develop- or information, while the spokesperson is ment and distribution. responsible for communicating with external There are a number of stakeholder groups stakeholders. The purpose of a spokesperson that require different messages through a is primarily to be the one person who speaks variety of platforms from digital media to for the company, allowing for consistency in traditional communication outreach. the messaging, based on information preau- At least one spokesperson needs to be thorized for distribution. identified. These individuals need to under- Internal crisis communication starts with stand the legal and other appropriate policies a well-defined crisis communications plan, that protect the business. distributed to key stakeholders, addressed on The term “spokesperson” may seem to be a a regular basis, frequently updated and tested component of an external crisis communica- through mock crisis response sessions. n tions plan, but this person would operate in both capacities. Michelle Jamieson is an international communi- Internal stakeholders should know to con- cations consultant. [email protected].

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COVID-19: 7 Lessons for Executives in the Midst of a Global Crisis By Mark Pasetsky

ith the COVID-19 pan- 2. Get PR involved as soon as possible demic, events were on to avoid additional problems. hold, sales meetings were Like traditional crisis management, the stalled and employees sooner PR is involved the better. Don’t risk were scattered across creating a secondary crisis because of an living rooms and home offices. Every busi- avoidable PR misstep. Wness, every client and every consumer was Many gyms, for example, failed to close in impacted by COVID-19. Lives, attitudes and time, and not only risked the health of their perspectives were transformed overnight. members but also drew criticism from the Executives needed help navigating com- news and across social media. Brands can munications through this global health avoid this kind of predicament by sharing crisis. Public relations is always the most plans, communications and ideas with their cost-effective tool to keep brands in the con- PR teams so the communications professionals versation and to communicate both exter- can incorporate insights from the onset. nally and internally—with key audiences and motivate employees. 3. Create a content review counsel. Here are some tips we gave our clients You could hardly turn on the news without that are not only useful for the COVID-19 hearing about a new task force or coalition pandemic, but should be in every executive’s forming in response to the pandemic. This toolbox for any crisis: crisis touched nearly every area of business, with implications for PR, marketing, HR, 1. View everything through the legal and sales. Brands should identify, ideally pandemic (or other crisis) lens. in advance, the key stakeholders within their Brands must reassess all of their content, organizations and create a review counsel that marketing, products and projects through the can vet messaging and content and flag any lens of the crisis. Brands must ask themselves: potential problems. Could this be perceived as insensitive? Does this message still make sense? Do I need to 4. Communicate often and consistently. put this project on hold? Taking another page from politics, brands In the example of COVID-19, reporters should try to adopt the approach that Gover- and editors were in the midst of managing nor Andrew Cuomo took to communications: the effects of the crisis. In these cases, expect communicate often. As leaders like Cuomo everything from email responses to publish- understand, we’re all in this together. ing timelines to take longer than usual. Clients must have a plan to communicate across all stakeholders. Brands should also

be as transparent as possible, as well as con- Brands should also encourage employees sistent, with communications; this will help to help develop virtual events, write bylined ensure everyone is on the same page. articles or be interviewed by the press, as well as to branch out into new social media activi- 5. Assume all internal communication ties. Now is the time to try something new – will become external. it could lead to a big payoff. Brands must be extraordinarily cautious with internal communications right now. As- 7. Start planning for opening day sume that anything distributed internally may This crisis will eventually end. People eventually become public through leaks, news will go back to work, customers will resume coverage or legal investigations. shopping and businesses will return to nor- For example, internal memos to employ- mal operations. Start planning for opening ees at Mediterranean Shipping Company, day now. Consider how brand messages will the largest privately-owned cruise line, were need to change. How will products be rein- leaked to the press. The internal communica- troduced? Brands should work with their PR tions team found its way into embarrassing teams and start mapping out their new vision headlines, revealing that the company asked for the future. employees to waive their legal rights to future compensation and suspended pay to staff The bottom line stranded on cruise ships waiting to return to Most traditional business operations have their home countries. been interrupted by the COVID-19 outbreak, but PR professionals still have many tools in 6. Use creative PR as a motivational tool. their toolbox to help brands and employees This crisis upended business models in continue to move forward. Now is the time to every industry. Perhaps you were about to lean into PR. launch a new marketing campaign, announce Combine traditional crisis management a big hire or kick off a re-brand. Don’t be with flexible, innovative thinking to help your discouraged if it feels like those plans were clients emerge from a crisis a preserved brand disrupted for now. image and a stronger bond with employees Brands should think outside the box and and customers. n come up with some creative ways to keep business moving, get their voices out there Mark Pasetsky is founder and CEO of Mark and motivate employees. Allen & Co. [email protected]

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Keeping Staff Informed, Motivated and Coming to Work During a Crisis By Julie L. Sheedy

onstant, consistent employee communication is essential in any crisis, but how do you reach those on the frontlines of healthcare, during a global pandemic, who aren’t in front of computers or on CZoom meetings, but are working around the clock to provide care? Get creative. As signs of Covid-19 started to hit the U.S., workplaces were turned upside down. While most employees were directed to work from home, healthcare workers were deemed essential. For Loretto, a large post-acute healthcare system in Central New York, we knew communication would be critical in stabiliz- ing our organization during this difficult time. Staff appreciation is critical, particularly in a crisis. The questions were vast. Employees indicated, prior to the COVID-19 crisis, that ■■ What process changes are we implement- simply saying “thank you” was essential. ing internally? ■■ How do we reassure staff they are safe? oped. We focused on many of the key prin- ■■ How do we make sure staff continue to ciples of employee communications, while come to work? recognizing the limitations of our workforce. ■■ How do we keep staff motivated and feeling appreciated? Get into a Cadence Quickly This was no easy task, as more than 2,500 Immediately, we established a weekly call employees were spread across 19 sites in two with our managers to give them guidance, counties, and the majority were not sitting in talking points and appropriate answers to front of a computer regularly or able to join questions with which they were being flood- large group meetings. ed. The call was recorded so those working Our senior leadership team sprang into off-shifts also had the information, and a action early, working through all the steps Manager Resource Center was established on we needed to take to ensure the safety and our Intranet with helpful materials, Q&As, security of our residents and employees. Our copies of new policy documents and a simple multi-pronged approach ensured employees way to submit questions and concerns that we were kept up-to-date as the situation devel- needed to address.

Reinforce Key Messages across Multiple Channels Remember the patterns of your multi- generational workforce. Millennials, who are “connected” 24/7, were a great audience for Facebook – but many “boomer” employees weren’t on social channels. We sent key messages in weekly email blasts, posted on our TV monitors in all facilities and posted hard copies of electronic communications in eleva- Senior leadership produced a video to let staff know just tors and by time clocks. how much they were appreciated. Group texting was another tool we put in place for the day “in the future” when we Take Advantage of Social Reach might need to communicate during a crisis. Employees on the frontlines aren’t on During Covid, it became a lifeline. 65% computers but needed to be connected to us. of our staff don’t have a work phone line, but We established an Employee-Only Facebook everyone has a cell phone. We used text mes- group as we saw this as an excellent channel sages our first week to send surveys to em- to reach staff after shifts, on breaks and on ployees for emergency needs like childcare. their way to work. Those in healthcare may Within 10 minutes, 150 employees responded need to relax social media or cell phone use that they would need help if schools were policies, but we found people abided by our closed. In another survey, 250 employees usage rules and were actively, and positively, responded that they were down to a two-day engaged in our posts, which ranged from re- supply of food for their families. This enabled sources for their families, important updates us to secure donations of emergency food on our progress, videos from our CEO and employee recognition. Our public social media also gave the outside world a glimpse at what was happening “inside” given we were closed to all visitors. We developed creative posts of our residents continuing to thrive despite not visiting with their loved ones in person, and staff were motivated by the positive response from family and the community to the good work they were doing.

Let Staff Express Themselves As fatigue set in for our workers, one of our Directors of Nursing starting challenging the floors to TikTok competitions. Dressed in their full PPE, many floors developed dances and videos were shared on our employee Loretto utilized social media to give the outside world a Facebook group with rave reviews. glimpse at what was happening “inside” since facilities were closed to visitors. These posts highlighted residents.

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bags. Texting was also a great vehicle to get were posted to our Facebook group. video announcements from our CEO out to Surprisingly, the effort that resonated the all shifts, and it became a complement to our most with staff was a simple, weekly text mes- appreciation efforts. sage to their phones: “Thank you for going the extra mile today! ‘Thank You’ Goes a Long Way We couldn’t do it without you,” or “Your hard Everyone talks about staff appreciation, work isn’t going unnoticed. Thank you for all but what we learned from our employees in a you do for Loretto!” survey conducted a few months prior to the While we are still in the midst of this emergence of this crisis was the importance of Covid-19 crisis, our consistent approach has simply saying “thank you.” resulted in stability in our workforce with During this crisis, we made sure we said limited call-offs; even proactive responses “thank you” regularly. We served meals, we from staff indicated they feel well-informed posted signs on our in-house TV and we even and supported during this difficult time.n produced a fun video with our senior leaders letting their hair down a little and say- Julie Sheedy is the Chief Marketing officer for ing thank you in a fun way. We invited local Loretto, a non-profit post-acute health system celebrities to submit thank you videos, which in Syracuse, NY. [email protected].

Mistaking M&A Mountains for Molehills: Communicating Through Complexity By Mandy Arnold

any mergers and acquisi- communications require the balance to navi- tions are planned—for gate the minutiae of internal communications months—behind closed and to switch gears to juggle a flood of media doors in boardrooms inquiries and second-by-second social media and within C-suites, long plays. In all of this, you must know the right before the communications team is brought message for the appropriate audience. Minto the fold. It’s understandable why this Understanding and anticipating human may happen: to minimize disruption, support behavior can help mitigate complicated pretense, as a result of overconfidence or even change, including culture clash or slow adop- for fear of leaks. tion. These skills can help to avoid a crisis So what is the first step to gaining a seat at situation, and keep companies’ communica- the table for early conversations pertaining to tions from falling short—or failing altogether. important deals? Trust. Communications professionals must dem- Understand Your Audiences onstrate the value of being included early on Mitigating risk requires understanding by displaying clear understanding of confi- each audience at every phase of communica- dentiality and building trust in every interac- tions. Starting with the voice of your audi- tion. Loose-lipped, ill-prepared or irrelevant ence—whether it’s employees, executives, public relations folks are labeled as task donors, stockholders or clients—is key to masters, untrusted advisors or unprofessional, developing appropriate messaging. and will be dismissed. As you develop an approach for each phase Listen to the tone of the opportunity, and of an announcement, plan for a clear assess- guide your executive team by showing an un- ment of each segment of your audience. Many derstanding of how successful management executives lack interest in investing the time and attention to communications details are or energy to address each specific audience tied intrinsically to sales and revenue. Ears and its needs through the change. To begin perk up when you can connect the communi- developing your list, think through some of cations plan to the money trail. the audiences listed in the sidebar. Of course, in a dynamic business environ- From there, assess each audience’s voice in ment, change means growth and innovation. order to understand how to prepare. Communications professionals must under- Some questions to consider: stand complex business dealings, the nature ■■ What is the client’s relationship with the of market indicators and how orchestrating current executive team? communications contributes to greater out- ■■ Will this address a past weakness? comes for the bottom line. Successful business ■■ Are executives and staff clear on the dis-

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tinction between what a merger and an communicate with will allow you to build and acquisition means? maximize the potential in a relationship and ■■ What are the communications touch- mitigate risk through proactive messaging. points that should be considered? ■■ How could a leak prior to the public an- Seize the Opportunity nouncement affect morale and sales? Managing the minutiae of merger and ■■ Who should be treated like a VIP in the acquisition messaging and communications communications process? is like managing an investment fund. If you ■■ Who can help you mitigate risk through steadily invest and remain consistent in mes- third-party messaging? saging and approach, you can reap greater brand equity dividends. Essentially, you’ve Control the Message earned chips to cash in during planned risk- Maintaining control is critical. A central- taking or in a crisis situation when a message ized document should break down each audi- is not as well-controlled. ence’s concerns and opportunities, as well as When an organization knows change is message you want to affirm. coming, especially in today’s hyper-commu- By investing the time into a messaging nicative multimedia world, how it manages platform and understanding how you’ll com- the message affirms its power position. Mis- municate with all audiences, your team is bet- use of an opportunity to reinforce your com- ter able to effectively integrate your key mes- pany’s commitment can greatly affect morale, sages. Paying attention to everyone’s concerns pride, trust and acceptance of the benefits to and questions helps to build a stronger team be gained in the changes ahead. and increase brand trust in the process. Some communications professionals take a “rip off the Band-Aid” approach to delivering Build Internal Buy-in news of a merger and acquisition. If you do Any good business advisor will tell you this, you’ve missed the opportunity. that culture and operational processes are two layers that can kill a deal. The same goes for Misuse of an opportunity to how your public relations and communica- reinforce your company’s tions strategy is crafted. commitment can greatly It starts with an effort that reinforces trust affect morale, pride, trust and and respect from the beginning by prioritiz- acceptance of the benefits to be ing communications with internal influenc- gained in the changes ahead. ers. Bringing these individuals on board early ensures they understand how controlling the message can achieve greater financial gains Communication is power. How you wield through stability and posturing of informa- your weapon can influence even more power. tion. It’s not long before decision-makers It’s easy to see these lessons on paper and around the table see how controlling the wonder how they might apply to your par- message and reinforcing certain rhetoric can ticular organization. empower the communications team and help Earlier I referenced mitigating risk through to avoid a crisis in the process. proactive messaging. We managed a merger Of course, this extends to external audi- that was expected to result in an office relo- ences as well. Prioritizing who and when you cation, at a time when the community was

struggling with recruiting and retaining businesses and jobs. We reached out in advance to M&A Audiences to Target local government officials, including econom- in Your Message ic agencies and the local chamber, to work Audiences vary by organization and with them on a consistent message. industry, but typical M&A audience seg- We also proactively delivered a clear mes- ments include: sage that, although one of the offices would be ¨¨ Executives consolidated to a new location, no jobs would ¨¨ Senior or middle management leave the region. In fact, the company pro- ¨¨ Employees jected an increase in jobs over the next five ¨¨ Clients years. Eliminating the opportunity for people ¨¨ Vendors to fill a void of information with assumptions ¨¨ Referral sources or falsehoods was key to building positive ¨¨ Strategic partners momentum through the change ahead. ¨¨ External influencers, such as legislators and community leaders I also focused heavily on audiences and ¨¨ Stakeholders and stockholders building internal buy-in. Of course, some ¨¨ Donors and contributors M&As are not large enough to capture the at- ¨¨ Potential clients tention of media—but that doesn’t mean you ¨¨ Past clients should underestimate attention to planning. ¨¨ General public We recently oversaw communication of a smaller acquisition. We had the opportunity to maximize how the acquired team merged and instead focus on how to leverage the successfully into the new company. We facili- change to grow sales. tated conversations with employees on the M&A communications are different in front lines in advance of the news going pub- every instance, just as every crisis commu- lic, working to help them understand critical nication offers a unique challenge. Having a messages and to answer anticipated questions. proactive plan in place helps to address both As part of the process, we also recom- expected and unexpected challenges and al- mended a familiarizing tour of their new lows you to communicate through all levels of home with the acquiring firm. Employees n were invited to meet the team and see where the complexity. their desks would be located. Employees were able to rid themselves of disruptive anxiety, Mandy Arnold is CEO at Gavin.

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Helping PR Pros and Agencies Cope With Mental Health Well-Being During a Crisis By Nicole Schuman

oronavirus not only affected the How an employer communicates with staff work of PR practitioners (and during the COVID-19 crisis could have a others), but also their home and serious impact on an employee’s comfort and family life, financial future and interest level. Many agencies and PR depart- overall health. ments are taking a look at what they can do It’s easy to see why some, if not all, comms to support employees who may be struggling Cpros suffered from stress or anxiety induced by during this time. the virus. Longer hours and larger workloads “This pandemic has identified gaps in our while handling childcare or spending days in employee well-being strategies,” said Dr. Wayne isolation can have tremendous negative effects Jonas, executive director of Samueli Founda- on mental health and well-being. tion Integrative Health Programs, which specializes in chronic illness, and the former di- Communication With Employees rector of NIH’s Office of Alternative Medicine. At the beginning of the fourth week of “I don’t believe enough employers had working from home for many SHIFT Com- stopped to think about the mental well-being munications employees, managing partner of their staff. Are they encouraging mindful- Rick Murray shared some inspiring words ness strategies and meditation to reduce stress with his staff (below). overall?” said Dr. Jonas. “Are they encouraging

employees to take breaks or are they expected for clients and themselves. Just giving people to answer messages within minutes? Do permission to take it one day at a time seems employees feel like they can ask for help and to go a long way.” be vulnerable during this time, or do they feel At BerlinRosen, staff became facilitators they need to be multitasking superheroes?” of well-being initiatives. Activities included Kim Sample, PR Council president, “Core O’Clock” (daily video exercises), guided organized a thrice-weekly call with human meditation sessions facilitated by employees, resources agency leaders to talk about their a March Madness-style pet photo contest and strategies regarding caring for the mental story time led by employees’ kids. health of employees. “Mental health and employee well-being “Young people are living alone and would are a top priority for us, especially as we’ve like to be back with family, but might not be shifted to remote work,” said BerlinRosen able to travel. Parents of school-aged kids COO David Levine. “We’ve provided options are working while homeschooling; folks are for staff to receive remote therapy sessions caring for elderly family members. [It] adds with a mental health provider and are also this new layer of stress, along with everything coordinating remote group sessions for those virus-related,” Sample said. interested. We’ve encouraged staff to take On Sample’s calls, she discussed everything breaks during the day, take PTO for mental from how to encourage staff to take advantage health, share best practices to adapt to work- of PTO days in creative ways, to helping em- ing from home and keep doing all we can to ployees understand the Families First Act. maintain a sense of normalcy during these “Companies are looking at what [employ- extraordinary times.” ees] need right now,” Sample said. At Red Havas, managers shared their own At FleishmanHillard, staff were encour- needs with staff to promote transparency, as aged to take the crisis step-by-step rather than well as showcasing the benefits of stepping becoming overwhelmed by the big picture. away from what can be daunting work. “We encourage our team to take wellness “We are encouraging people breaks through the day, working around to take it one day at a time and client and family commitments,” said Linda make the best decisions you Descano, executive vice president. “Many of can for today…Giving people us on the leadership team are taking these permission to take it one day at breaks ourselves—and being transparent a time seems to go a long way.” about them—to reinforce the importance of finding balance and stepping away.”

“We are working from a mindset that life Winding Down is not defined by what happens to you, but Communicators can be so focused on rather by how you react to what happens,” meeting client and organizational needs that said Emily Frager, senior partner, member of they can forget the importance of taking a FleishmanHillard’s leadership Cabinet and breath and unplugging when the day is over. general manager of the firm’s Los Angeles and Gene Grabowski, partner at Washington, Orange County operations. “We are encour- D.C.-based firmkglobal , said he’s found aging people to take it one day at a time and sticking to a schedule to be effective in terms make the best decisions you can for today… of productivity.

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“For the first two weeks of the lockdown, I was disoriented and easily distracted from my Identifying Stress work at home,” he said. Now he ends his work Dr. Wayne Jonas argues that push- day at 5 p.m. and takes a 30-minute walk, fol- ing yourself through stress can lead to lowed by cocktails and dinner with his wife in physical, emotional and mental burnout. their dining room. “The saying ‘No pain, no gain’ does not For others, maintaining a traditional work- apply to stress,” he says. “Your stress from-home schedule has been a challenge, response can get stuck in the ‘on’ position, so you are always in a stressed but movement and breaks during the day and anxious state. It is likely that many have helped. communications professionals feel this “It’s hard to step away [from work], es- stress but may not recognize the impact pecially during times of crisis,” said Emily prolonged exposure to this ‘crisis mode’ is creating.” Ciraolo, assistant director, corporate commu- Dr. Jonas noted that signs of burnout nications at National Fuel. “I’ve committed to can vary, but employees should keep walking the dogs every day and cooking my an eye out for behavioral signs such as meals as it forces me to stand up and move “poor sleep, apathy, feeling isolated and around for a bit, even if I’m listening to a being overly reactive or tearful.” He also said to look for emotional and cognitive webinar as I do it.” signs such as “constant anxiety, fear, And of course reaching out to coworkers, sadness and irritability or anger, as well family and friends remains paramount as so- as difficulty concentrating and over- cial distancing and isolation continue to take analysis.” Physical signs like “pain and fatigue” also play a role. their toll. Jennifer Fisher, chief well-being officer atDe - loitte LLP, acknowledged that it’s also okay to and each other that it won’t be. The need for reach out to these connections on “down” days. social distancing and the disruption to life as “I think it’s really important to say when we aren’t doing OK—I have certainly had we know it isn’t permanent, and knowing that n these moments—and when I do, I reach out makes it easier to cope.” to family or friends to talk it through,” Fisher said. “Although right now the pandemic may Nicole Schuman is content manager at feel endless, we need to remind ourselves PRNEWS. [email protected].

Communicating During a Global Crisis: Start at Home By Greg Abel

s the Covid-19 pandemic con- Communicate Frequently and Clearly tinues, one of the most impor- Uncertainty, caused by lack of informa- tant things I’ve learned as a tion, can create substantial fear for employees. business owner is that in times That’s why it’s important to communicate of crisis, it’s most important to regularly so that employees do not feel like take care of those closest to you first. they are in the dark. It is a good idea for lead- AWhile I’m focusing on best practices for inter- ers to address key areas consistently. To do so, nal communications, it’s equally as important make a list of the key topics on your employ- to have a game plan for external communica- ees’ minds, and then address them—whether tions, so I’ll also share some practical guid- in a virtual meeting, email or conference call. ance for marketing and PR activities when things are anything but normal. Be as Transparent as Possible As a quick aside, I also believe that one of A crisis is not the time to be evasive or the best things you can do for yourself and to avoid tough questions. When in doubt, those close to you during a crisis is to practice leaders should communicate what they know, self-care. All of us will undoubtedly get some what they don’t know and what they’re learn- things wrong and stub our toes occasionally. ing more about. Showing humility and trans- However, if you commit to a plan and reach parency as a leader will also foster a culture of out to others for help when you need it, you’ll openness, which can only benefit your orga- be in a much better position to look back on nization in the long run. this time and think to yourself, “I did the best Practice and Model Self-Care I could.” Leaders should advocate and practice Establish Clear Points of Contact healthy routines with an emphasis on the In a period of uncertainty, your team importance of exercise, getting outside and should know who to go to for what. One ef- paying attention to mental health. fective strategy to implement immediately is Encourage employees to take care of identifying key issues and establishing points themselves with activities like regular walks, of contact for each of them. meditation or spending time away from the Who is going to be your technology go-to news and social media. person? Who is the liaison on health and After addressing internal communications, wellness? Who is in charge of clarifying the it’s time to think about external audiences. remote work policy? Finally, make sure there You want your customers and partners to is a catchall contact, a key person to ask when hear from you, but remember: what seems you don’t know who to ask. important in your world might not be important in theirs.

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Before sending out communications dur- in the world. Make these engagements the ing a crisis, consider the context. focus of your social media content. Ask yourself what your audience might be focused on right now. How would it feel Be as Human as Possible if you received the message you’re about to Everyone is struggling their way through send? With these thoughts in mind, consider this. Share stories of how your employees the following. are coping and bonding, what they’re doing to stay productive and sane at home, or how Hit the Pause Button on Automated they’re juggling the needs of their children Emails and Social Posts and jobs. If you have scheduled content that was set up before the crisis, shut it down. Or, at the Share News Internally First very least, review the content for tone and ap- If there is a major company announcement propriateness given the situation. to share, make sure your internal teams hear it first before they see it on social media or in Focus on Quality over Quantity an external email. No one wants to be bombarded right now. Picture the recipient. Is this informa- Don’t Ignore the Crisis tion something they’ll actually want to open, Some might think it’s best to let the situa- something they need to know? tion ride out as if they are not affected, but it’s Think About the Most Useful best to be transparent and proactive instead Information You Can Provide of coming off as tone-deaf or clueless. I’m not saying, ‘don’t do business.’ Compa- Remember, there is no one perfect an- nies still need to buy software, and people still swer or “right way” to communicate during want to cook nice meals or find ways to con- a crisis. When in doubt, lean on your values nect. Many brands have something relevant and make sure you start with those who are n to share during a crisis, but be sure to do so in closest and most important to you. context with the situation at hand. During a crisis, brands can align with non- Greg Abel is the founder and CEO of Balti- profits or community groups to do some good more-based Abel Communications.

Communicating Layoffs During The COVID-19 Pandemic By Erika Bradbury

he COVID-19 crisis resulted After that, PR should inform the organiza- in companies, large and small, tion. Be aware that in the digital era, news furloughing or laying off a about layoffs or job cuts can make its way significant portion of workers. online quickly. In addition, some companies, Regardless, press should be informed only attempting to stymie the flow of unemploy- after announcements are made internally. Tment, reduced employee salaries and de- creased or eliminated freelance budgets. Emotional Content Some local businesses, including daycare ■■ Tone: Remember compassion. It’s never centers, restaurants, salons, and scores of oth- easy to deliver difficult news, but it’s ers, cut most, if not all, their staff. harder to be on the receiving end. While The standard PR advice to communicate your message doesn’t need to be apolo- difficult news applied during the pandemic. getic, consider the emotional impact “Be as honest and transparent as possible,” on employees, especially given today’s said Leslie Wingo, CEO of multicultural extremely difficult situation. agency Sanders Wingo. “No one is to blame for the business challenges with COVID-19,” said Gil Bashe, man- Bearing Bad News aging partner, global health at Finn Partners. Many companies found themselves in “Kindness and thoughtfulness of what’s next uncharted territory during the pandemic. for these people is part of being human… For example, iconic bookstore “The Strand” Leadership often starts with the thought, had never had to deal with layoffs previously. ‘What if this were me?’” To communicate the news, “Lean into your ■■ Details: While the pandemic seems to values, both in decision-making and com- make it obvious why cuts are necessary, munications,” said Carreen Winters, chair, it is important to lay out your reasoning. reputation management and chief strategy Providing context on other things the officer,MWWPR . “The values that helped business is doing to reduce costs is one you become a successful business...will serve option in this instance. you well now.” “Use your values,” Winters said, “to give ■■ Timing: Schedule your internal and people insight into how you made the difficult external announcements carefully. Make decisions.” sure HR informs first those losing their Similarly, it helps to include benefits, such jobs/being furloughed/having salaries re- as continuing healthcare coverage, in commu- duced. It’s best to do that personally and nicating job cuts. privately. Emailing can seem impersonal. ■■ The Future: In addition, include infor-

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mation about light at the end of the tun- Furloughs in the UK, for example, mean nel, if possible. “This is the time to define something different than they do in the US. the benchmarks that would prompt As such, it is critical to lay out details for positive action: rehiring, reinstatement of employees of what reductions entail. Discuss reduced benefits, returns to full pay. Let benefits and other details. people know now how you will return to more normal business, even if you can’t After The News say when,” Winters said. Following the cuts, focus on remaining But be realistic, especially in this highly employees. It’s critical to communicate with fluid situation. “Sometimes candor is more the survivors. Again, it is preferable to do important than making the bite sting less,” Bashe said. “With COVID-19 and the finan- this one-on-one. Ensure remaining employ- cial distress of the markets and economy, ees know that their former colleagues will be it’s hard to say when things will return to treated well. In addition, inform them how ‘normal,’” he says. Bashe added, “When you the reduced headcount will impact their day- set timelines, you better deliver. Otherwise, to-day responsibilities. you’re serving as a source of ‘truth’ falls to the “For the rest of the organization, who will bottom of the information pond like a rock.” be grieving the exit of good colleagues and good friends, knowing what the company Layoff, Furlough or Pay Cut? will be doing to help those individuals, and if The nuances around whether an employee there is a scenario where they may return, can is furloughed, laid off or taking a pay cut may n not matter to a particular staffer. However, be incredibly valuable,” Winters said. “communications needs to work in lock-step with human resources to address employee Erika Bradbury is editorial director at needs and work within the law,” Bashe said. PRNEWS. [email protected].

3 Executive and Spokesperson Training

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Attending to Your CEO’s Achilles’ Heel(s): A Guide By Type By Andrew Gilman

he question that PR counsel or Founder’s Syndrome. Transition- should be asking about their ing to new management from success- leadership is: When I know my ful, trusted founders and father figures boss has traits that are less than causes unease among stakeholders. desirable and that could harm ■■ The Fix: Work with the board to develop the enterprise, how can I get his/her attention a step-by-step transition plan well before Tand prevent the crisis? the CEO decides to leave. PR needs to Here’s a strictly PR perspective on the make this plan public, and make sure the types, a few who have the particular flaw and departing CEO gets behind the successor how to counsel. For all categories, the critical via speeches and media appearances issue is having a seat at the table. If you don’t have credibility in the C-suite, you won’t be The Risk Taker able to find and fix the flaw until it’s too late. Leaders whose personal life poses a risk to the organization or company. Unfortunately, The Iconoclast many CEOs and politicians fit this category. This type of leader is an entrepreneur who Two examples: HP’s former CEO, Mark Hurd, is successful while also breaking conventions. and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Consider two Marks: Facebook’s Zuckerberg ■■ Achilles’ heel: Duh. Ask why the leader’s and Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks. brains are in their heel or in other body ■■ Achilles’ heel: Bending or breaking a parts. The flaw is that they never think few rules. Facebook’s privacy issues and they will get caught. Cuban’s criticism of the NBA ■■ The Fix: Boards should conduct better ■■ The Fix: A rapid response PR team that due diligence and background checks be- can snap into action when the CEO fore offering a job. Periodic ethics train- misfires. Find a board member or con- ing doesn’t hurt, either. sultant who can rein in the CEO without diminishing his flair and enthusiasm The Cult CEO A leader who is so closely linked to the The Father Figure brand’s DNA that it inspires virtual blind ■■ Think chicken and burgers—Purdue’ s loyalty from employees and consumers. How Frank Purdue and Wendy’s Dave Thom- about the late Steve Jobs or Martha Stewart. as. And, of course, Warren Buffett from ■■ Achilles’ heel: A personal issue that can Berkshire Hathaway. cause calamity in the kingdom. ■■ Achilles’ heel: It’s either the fear factor ■■ The Fix: It’s hard. Develop a crisis plan

that anticipates such big events and can The Executioner de-couple or “unstick” the idealized CEO CEOs known for obsession with the bot- from the brand. tom line, not the feel-good approach for employees and customers. Plain Vanilla ■■ Achilles’ heel: This style will yield busi- A CEO who isn’t flashy but just works ness success but can backfire in loss of hard, stays out of the limelight and makes a reputation and employee morale. ton of money for the company and investors. ■■ The Fix: Often includes damage control Examples: former Colgate-Palmolive CEO with specific stakeholders. Communica- Reuben Mark and the chairman/former CEO tors need to focus on internal messaging of Nestlé, Paul Bulcke. to employees ,as well as commitment to ■■ Achilles’ heel: Until a crisis erupts, this the community. type of CEO won’t have his or her heel A caveat: These are not all-or-nothing exposed publicly. categories, so you must be prepared for some ■■ The Fix: PR should run simulations and overlap—and expect the unexpected. n make sure that technology is in place that will quickly elevate the CEO’s profile in Andrew Gilman is president and CEO of the event of a crisis. CommCore Consulting Group, a crisis management and media training agency based in

Washington, D.C.

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Training the Untrainable: Tips for Prepping the C-suite By Allison Kahn

ou can text a national broadcast ships with important people, there are plenty producer and get them interest- of reasons why it can also be incredibly tricky. ed in a story you’re working on. A lot of people don’t like hearing the You have that New York Times things that are wrong about them. Egos are reporter on speed dial and they no small thing, especially when you’re deal- always answer your calls. You know the right ing with people who are told all day how Yway to pitch the right idea at the right time great they are. You need to navigate these for the right outcome. waters carefully and skillfully in order to But what happens when the producer says, maintain good rapport and be effective in “Great! Who can you get to guest on our six your job. o’clock hour?” Who can you cough up who is media-savvy and trained and ready to go? Don’t Be Afraid While some of us are lucky to have elo- Start by thinking about how you’d like to quent linguists on our executive team, often be treated if the tables were turned. Say you a good CFO doesn’t necessarily translate to a were getting ready for your live broadcast great spokesperson. television debut. Your words were going to As a public relations professional, you’re reach millions of Americans. You want to uniquely positioned to sit in a place of au- be at the top of your game. You want to look thority, even if you’re outranked by plenty sharp and sound amazing, and you want to of others at your organization. Part of your wow everyone who watches. You want sales to job is making sure the top dogs are well-rep- spike 200% after your appearance. resented and liked publicly, and that means Imagine you took to the airwaves confident you’re often the only one who’s allowed to and ready, and then you discovered you had a point out things like that food crumb on giant ketchup stain right smack in the middle their faces, the hair out of place, the smirk of your white shirt. Or you rambled when that doesn’t read well on television, the you got nervous and got cut off by the anchor whiny tone in their voices when they answer before you finished the most important part tough questions. of your sentence. While everyone else is sucking up to the You would appreciate if someone were big boss, you’re the one who is allowed, even there with a Tide stick and words of en- encouraged, to point out the negative, at least couragement, wouldn’t you? So too does the as it relates to their media appearances. executive or spokesperson appreciate your While this rare position of honesty and presence. Don’t be afraid to speak up and be critique can help you build beautiful relation- the true keeper of your brand.

Stay in Your Lane You may never be more of a subject mat- 3 Tips for Approaching an ter expert than the subject matter expert. But Executive with a Big Ego you will always be the expert on the aspects of 1. Be polite but not passive: Don’t how that information gets relayed. You are the pad your executive’s ego by stand- one who knows what a particular reporter’s ing down from sharing criticism, slant is, and how to fully vet a media oppor- especially if he or she asks for it. Always maintain your professional- tunity. You are the one who knows what the ism—particularly in moments when reporter covered in the segment before, or the you’re providing feedback not only story prior to that, or what they tweeted about to, but about, someone who out- earlier that day. ranks you—but don’t be afraid to be direct. You are helping someone Your spokesperson will appreciate that he become a better leader and a brand or she can rely on you to be the backbone earn a more positive presence. for your company. He may have the revenue stats down, but until you tell him, he probably 2. Be honest but not too honest: Do worry about offending, but don’t didn’t know the name of the anchor he’s about worry about telling the cold, hard to interview with, or remember to thank her truth. Make sure you weigh what you and plug your brand name. should be sharing with your execu- Your executive may be the vehicle, but you tive against how helpful it will prove in future interviews. If, for instance, are the true driver. You are the one who en- you missed that stain on the shirt, sures he or she comes across well and elevates it might only make him feel bad to your brand awareness. You are the one who learn after the fact. Try instead to keep a better watch next time to makes sure the media outlet feels like you’ve point out things like this before the created a symbiotic relationship with the pos- camera starts rolling. sibility of future partnership. 3. Balance criticism and praise: Be Say It With a Smile sure to consider your delivery to ensure it’s more constructive than Perhaps the most important lesson comes harsh. Lead with a positive and then in the wise words of American poet William follow up with a negative. Remem- Carlos Williams: “It is not what you say that ber, you don’t have to prove your matters but the manner in which you say it; worth by pointing out every mistake, and you won’t earn your keep if you there lies the secret of the ages.” only dole out praise, so strike a bal- Indeed, the best way to convey information ance between the two and provide that might be deemed as negative or critical feedback that is helpful and to which to anyone, especially to someone who out- your executive will be receptive. ranks you or who signs your paycheck, is to be mindful of the delivery. In the same way you prep your exec to Set up time to brief him or her in advance make sure his or her tone and facial expres- of a media interview, no matter how small sions are accessible, friendly and honest when or familiar. Practice tough questions and the camera is rolling, you should practice the answers, and provide constructive feedback same traits when you’re working with an exec along the way. Then set up time to debrief to improve his or her public presence. following the media interview. Always carve

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out that time to relay back what went well and and loves your exec or brand, so there’s not what could be improved for next time. Rather the impetus to get everything 110% right as than saying, “You blinked too many times there would be with, say, an important finan- and it made you look dishonest,” instead try, cial announcement or crisis communications “Let’s practice your eye contact for next time moment on live, national television. Decide so we’re making sure you appear the most where and when it makes sense to offer more authentic you.” feedback or training, or consider heavier hand-holding, and proceed accordingly. Trust Your Gut Each media interview is a learning oppor- As a public relations professional, you tunity for you both. If every interview were have an ability to, well, relate to the public. mistake-free, your job would be obsolete. You have a sense for how your executive or Look to each one as a chance to improve, in spokesperson reacts to criticism, guidance your vetting and prepping of your executive, or other forces that you’re faced with in your as well as in his or her performance. rapport with him or her. Trust your instinct Don’t be afraid to share the takeaways and about what you can and cannot say, and how bake them into your next round. Above all, you should say it. don’t forget to enjoy the important role you You should feel out every situation to have as the bridge between the brand and the determine what the mood is (and the appe- public, and as a trusted advisor to your com- tite for critique) and weigh that against the pany’s leaders. n significance of the particular media opportunity. Maybe it’s a quick radio interview for Allison Kahn is director of digital & social a tiny market where everyone already knows marketing at Mastercard.

Why, and How, to Play Offense as a Company Spokesperson By T.J. Winick

s a local and network news re- there are techniques reporters utilize to try porter, I conducted thousands and get the answers they seek. of interviews in nearly two decades. Yet it was only after Setting Expectations I made the leap into strategic By sharing some of the methods I used as and crisis communications that I fully appre- a reporter, I hope you can avoid missteps and Aciated the complex dynamic at play. take advantage of key opportunities to ensure As a reporter, it never occurred to me how your next interview is successful. vital media training could be for leaders in ■■ Expect that a reporter will use small a public-facing organization. Having now talk to try and get you to let down your counseled dozens of clients on myriad deli- guard. Nothing is wrong with a little cate and high-profile issues, I’m convinced polite chitchat; don’t lose sight of the task that no responsible spokesperson should at hand. The reporter is not your friend, speak to a journalist without: and, especially during a crisis, you must ■■ A clearly articulated and vetted set of maintain your guard. Expect anything messages, and you say to be quoted, even if the video ■■ Feeling comfortable and confident in camera or voice recorder isn’t rolling. delivering those messages. ■■ Expect that a reporter will ask the Public perception is that the interviewer same question in many different ways. is playing offense while the interviewee is on Recognize that if reporters don’t get what defense. That should never be the mindset of they want the first time, they will ask the the individual being interviewed, however. same question again, phrasing it differ- As former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger ently. It’s not incumbent upon you, the quipped to the media, “What questions do interviewee, to answer differently. After you have for my answers today?” answering a second time, “I believe I’ve Kissinger had a job to do: deliver the answered that question already” is a po- administration’s talking points and, regard- lite way of letting the reporter know it’s less of what was asked, he was going to do time to move on. it. Similarly, the spokesperson has a job and ■■ Expect that a reporter will begin a should think of himself as playing offense by question with “Some might say…” proactively pushing out key talking points, Realize that when this occurs, you have whether or not it’s in the context of answering every right to ask who “they” are. Do not a reporter’s question. accept the premise of a question if you Having a firm grasp of messages is one way believe it’s based on faulty information to remain on point during an interview. Still, or data. You are allowed to ask questions

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if it helps you better understand exactly How Reporters Think what is being asked. It’s not considered combative or rude. ¨¨ Reporters believe they are entitled to information. Dodging a reporter’s ■■ Expect that a reporter will invade your inquiry is rarely a smart move. personal space. Don’t be intimidated. Would you rather call them back, Whether sitting or standing, whether for instance, or have them show up unannounced on your doorstep? the crew is using a stick microphone or When you call back, ask what they a wireless lavalier mic clipped on your want to talk about and the angle clothing, anticipate that you will be in they are taking so you can decide close proximity with the reporter. This the best way to respond. Even if it’s only a brief written statement you can be jarring for many doing a first provide and not an interview, it will interview if it’s not what they had en- likely satisfy the reporter’s desire visioned. Some particularly aggressive for a response. It’s also better than reporters will sit as close to you as they coverage citing a “no comment” or “did not respond to requests for can in an effort to appear in a power comment” from your side. position. These days, you might be in a remote location and not see the reporter ¨¨ Reporters have limited time to ab- who’s interviewing you. sorb and digest information. Keep ■■ Expect the reporter to use silence this in mind and plan for how you against you. The more you talk, the more will get your most important points across at the top of the interview in you’re likely to say something you regret. succinct and potent sound bites. Re- Don’t feel like you need to fill the silence member: the interview may not last in between finishing your answer and long, so don’t save your best for last. the next question just to be polite. This often is where major missteps can oc- ¨¨ Reporters often need education on your subject matter. With the dis- cur. You want to maintain discipline and solution of the beat system, most avoid going off on a tangent. Embrace reporters are “general assignment.” the silence. Take a few minutes before the inter- ■■ Expect a negative question and plan view to provide background, especially if it involves a complex subject. how you would answer. This sounds obvious, but just because you might be

¨¨ Reporters may go with flawed infor- prepared for the question doesn’t mean mation from others just to present you’ll answer it effectively. For instance, the other side. It’s unfortunate, but never repeat a negative question in your in many cases, unavoidable. Ask the answer. If asked, “Isn’t it true that your reporter who they are talking to and provide context or specific examples organization is guilty of mismanage- of where the other side has either ment?” do not answer, “It isn’t true that mistakenly or intentionally misled our organization is guilty of mismanage- others. This will help establish you ment.” Instead, the answer should be as the more reliable source in the reporter’s mind and will influence how something like, “Our organization has they write the story. been managed properly at all times.” ■■ Expect a question you shouldn’t answer, yet never utter “no comment.” There always is something you can say.

When the public hears “no comment,” ends up being used in the story. there is typically an assumption of guilt. Good reporters do their homework. That’s why media training and having Spokespeople should, too. You are the sub- your key messages down cold are crucial. ject-matter experts, after all, and should have Anticipate tough questions and consult the advantage. with legal counsel, if necessary, to deter- It’s not enough to talk strategy with an mine what answers are acceptable and inner circle of trusted advisors. Being media- won’t expose your organization to liabil- trained by professional communicators is a ity (if the issue is particularly volatile). key component of ensuring that your organi- ■■ Expect that a reporter will end an in- zation’s reputation remains intact, no matter terview with, “Is there anything else?” the issue. n When it happens, seize the opportunity, even if it’s restating your key messages. Many view this question as a throwaway, T.J. Winick is a former broadcast journalist something the reporter does as a cour- with ABC News and WBZ-TV, and is currently tesy. But it can be a real opportunity to a senior vice president at Solomon McCown & deliver or reiterate key messages—and Company. it could be the sound bite or quote that

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The 5 Cs: A Path to Delivering Reputation-Protecting Messages in Crisis By Jeff Leshay

hots fired, shots fired!” Those are disingenuous, lacked empathy and account- the kinds of words we all dread, as ability, or otherwise put the organization in they signal danger and, for public a poor light. The difference usually lies in the relations professionals, the need to spokesperson’s choice of words, and given to- move quickly into crisis communi- day’s rapid amplification of messages through cations mode. The effectiveness of our com- a multitude of media channels, words them- Smunications, especially in the early, chaotic selves are more important than ever. moments of a crisis, depends heavily on the During my 20-plus years as a crisis com- degree to which we are prepared to manage munications consultant and media trainer, the unexpected. I’ve paid much closer attention as companies To be sure, many companies invest signifi- have failed to effectively manage issues or cant time and resources in planning for crisis crises that could have, and should have, been communications, developing detailed, step- anticipated—often because poor choices of by-step protocols to safeguard their reputa- words and phrases were made. tions. Some wisely go as far as to regularly simulate crises, pulling designated crisis The 5 Cs Provide Framework management teams together for practice. We all know just how difficult it can be Yet all too often, companies neglect to when a crisis hits to develop from scratch key think through the specific words and phrases messages or talking points that will serve to that would be most appropriate in various protect our reputation. types of crisis situations. The outset of a crisis Enter the 5 Cs: Certainty, Compassion, is not the time to begin such debate. That Concern, Collaboration and Control. These time has come and gone, and failing to be words provide a simple architectural frame- prepared with the right tone and tenor puts work I’ve found helpful in preparing clients the reputation of your organization at risk. to communicate succinctly and effectively in As a television news correspondent, I often those early hours of a crisis, when time is of covered companies and communities facing the essence and your organization’s reputation crisis situations, from dangerous chemical is on the line. leaks and consumer product recalls to natu- Even with few details to share, the 5 Cs ral disasters. At the time, I didn’t think much help us immediately address what journal- about the quality of an organization’s response ists, and the public, want to know: what you from a reputation management perspective. know; how and when you knew it; and what However, I knew when I had a compelling you’re doing about the crisis. sound bite that positioned a company cred- Of course, the media and your stakehold- ibly and favorably—or one that appeared ers also want to know what caused the par-

Putting the 5 Cs Into Play: Drafting an Initial Response to a Shooting Incident

The following is an example of how the 5 Cs nities] deal with any difficulties stemming from can be used to create a template that can what they have experienced today. be quickly tailored in the event of an on-site Concern shooting incident. Nothing is more important to [us/name of Because the 5 Cs are subjective and organization] than the safety and well-being sometimes overlap terms, you’ll likely find of our [employees/customers/partners/stu- multiple opportunities within this frame- dents/faculty/communities]. As soon as we work to reaffirm your company’s senti- learned of the incident, we notified [law en- ments and demonstrate responsibility and forcement and medical emergency officials] leadership. and enacted the crisis protocol we have in Certainty place to contain the situation. Today at [approximate time of day], an Collaboration unidentified man with a gun entered [name We are working closely with [authorities/ or type of property/operations] and began emergency officials/investigators] on the firing. We can confirm there have been scene to determine what happened. We’re injuries, but we do not yet know the num- providing them with access to any/all re- ber of people wounded, nor the extent of sources they may need in their investigation. those wounds. At least [number of people] Control have been transported to [name(s) of local hospital(s)], and with the help of [local law We’re thankful to [local law enforcement and enforcement authorities], we have evacu- medical emergency authorities], who have ated/secured/closed [name or type of prop- helped us [evacuate/secure/close] [name or erty/operations]. type of property/operations] pending [the completion of the investigation/any further Compassion announcements]. We will continue to closely Our hearts/thoughts/prayers go out to those monitor the situation and take whatever impacted by this tragedy, and we’ll be bring- steps necessary in the future to ensure the ing in [counselors/others] to help [employees/ safety of our [employees/customers/part- customers/partners/students/faculty/commu- ners/students/faculty/communities].

ticular situation, but in many cases you won’t pathy for those who may have been hurt or have that answer yet and should refrain from otherwise negatively impacted by the cir- speculation. cumstances. It’s important for internal and Let’s break down the 5 Cs, the order of external audiences to know your organization which may be adjusted depending on the has a heart. To that point, you may choose to specific crisis. reiterate your empathy for those impacted by 1. Certainty. This means sticking suc- the crisis at the end of any remarks. cinctly—right off the bat—to those few details You may show compassion by expressing of the crisis you know to be absolutely true. regret that the crisis has occurred, but you Your credibility is at stake, and truth is critical must be particularly careful with the words to garnering the trust of your audiences. you choose. “We’re so sorry that this trag- 2. Compassion. Once you’ve laid out the edy has hurt so many people,” for example, details you know to be accurate, it’s time for conveys empathy in a powerful way, but stops compassion—a few words conveying em- short of taking responsibility for whatever

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went wrong. Your lawyers will be particularly in your power to secure or safeguard the sensitive to such nuances. environment. In addition, the promising and 3. Concern. You must make clear how scheduling of periodic updates will serve to seriously your organization views the crisis, enhance the perception of a responsible and and that there’s nothing more important than transparent organization in control during the the safety, security and well-being of your aftermath of a crisis—being sure, of course, to employees, customers and partners. refresh your content as more is learned about Your concern may be further evidenced the crisis itself and the public reaction to it. by pointing to training and other steps the Benjamin Franklin once wrote, “By failing company has taken in the past to prepare to to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” If ap- effectively manage such situations. plied to modern-day crisis communications, A strong safety record may provide addi- Franklin’s advice means going beyond the tional proof points. development of process and protocol to the 4. Collaboration. Explain how you’re co- identification of the specific words and phras- operating fully with authorities to determine es that would safeguard a company’s reputa- what caused the crisis and how best to nip it tion in a diverse range of crisis scenarios. in the bud and make sure it doesn’t happen And by the way, when you’ve chosen the again. It’s all about demonstrating account- right words, you’ve paved the way for sincere ability and responsibility, even if your organi- and trustworthy verbal delivery likely to do zation is not to blame for the crisis. those words justice as you protect, and per- Audiences will be much more forgiving haps even enhance, your organization’s repu- of any wrongdoing if you can demonstrate tation. The right actions will speak even more you’re taking all of the actions they, or oth- loudly than the words themselves. n ers, would take to identify any problems and make any corrections necessary. 5. Control. It’s equally important to de- Jeff Leshay is president at Leshay Communica- scribe, in some detail, how you’re doing all tions, LLC. [email protected].

Words and Phrases to Avoid in Crisis Communication Messages By Melony Shemberger

ords have a magical pow- tive or offensive to some readers. Euphe- er. No matter the crisis, misms are a kind of rhetoric designed to word choice can affect make a point subtle. Characteristically, they how well, or how poorly, are “empty calorie” words and have the poten- a crisis is resolved. How tial to make matters worse. an audience responds to a crisis communica- For instance, some communicators might Wtion message is affected by the words used in report that someone “passed away.” Rather a message. than using the euphemism “passed away,” a Crisis communications, primarily in the spokesperson should simply say that a par- early stages, must be understood quickly. ticular person “died” or X number of people When constructing crisis communication “died.” This word choice can bring a greater messages, the PR team must make word sense of humanity to a crisis event. choice a priority. There is no room for error. Here’s another example: If a crisis message Otherwise, a crisis communication strategy refers to a business closing, do not report in could have negative consequences, particu- a news announcement that the closure would larly if an audience does not understand the result in a “workforce reduction” or “posi- intended message. tion cutbacks.” “Downsizing” also is heart- Jargon-filled, fluffed-up and ambiguous less. Such jargon does not express empathy words are barriers between an organization and care. Be honest, and report that a specific and its audience that could damage a mes- number of employees “unfortunately will lose sage during a crisis. Rather, everyday words their jobs.” This conveys a more sincere mes- spoken or written in a conversational tone in sage to the audience. an honest climate is key in any crisis message. Another euphemism is “revenue enhance- Euphemisms are a kind of rhetoric de- ments.” Spokespeople for government and signed to make a point subtle. They are bureaucratic agencies use this phrase to cover “empty calorie” words and have the potential up its true meaning of “tax hikes” or “tax in- to make matters worse. creases.” Again, it’s wise to avoid euphemisms.

Euphemisms to Avoid “No Comment” Some words laced with industry or job- Two words—“No comment”—arguably specific jargon can create sterile tones. They make up the worst phrase to a journalist. In also have the potential to mask reality and fact, “No comment” can act as a euphemism, shield the truth from the intended audience. making a spokesperson appear to be cover- Such words and phrases stand in for more ing up something. Plus, when a spokesperson specific terms that might feel blunt, insensi- responds to a reporter’s question with “No

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comment,” the phrase is an invitation to the negative messages. journalist to dig for information, perhaps Rather than using adverbs like “never,” bringing a crisis to a new level. always” or “definitely” that have the potential Instead of saying “No comment,” a spokes- to back spokespeople into a corner, aim for person should tell reporters what can be said softer words that are vague and conditional. publicly—information that has been con- These adverbs include “usually,” “typically,” firmed or known at the time. A statement “generally” and “often.” Verbs such as “tend such as “Because of litigation, I am not able to to,” “may,” “might” and “could” also are safe to disclose the information at this time. How- use in crisis communications. To avoid confu- ever, here is what I can report…” allows for sion or misinterpretation in a crisis, try to be more open and transparent communication precise and specific. with journalists, and thus, the audience. In addition to jargon, spokespeople must The Fewer the Numbers, the Better avoid slang and acronyms in crisis communi- Statistics can help clarify or emphasize a cation, no matter how well-versed the media point. However, if numbers and other sta- and audience might be with these words. tistical data are the bulk of the information PR teams should work with spokespeople to shared in a crisis communication message, an avoid words that are false, pretentious, racist, audience might tune out. Consequently, the sexist or otherwise discriminatory. intended audience could miss an important point that a spokesperson made somewhere Avoid Generalizations in all those numbers. The adage “Never say never” carries much If statistics are desired, they should be used truth. Certain words have the ability to trap sparingly. PR teams might consider having spokespeople whenever journalists are alert graphics or visuals complement the words to to them, with “never” being at the top of that illustrate the message more effectively. list. Two other adverbs, “always” and “definitely,” also could result in literal and time- Last Words consuming implications. Such words polar- Effective spokespeople practice their roles, ize key crisis messages and lead to sweeping even before a crisis happens. The best way for generalizations that are subject to debate. spokespeople to avoid using jargon, euphe- To a reporter, these words invite a search misms, polarizing words and other “empty for information. If a spokesman tells a re- calorie” language is to practice—on paper porter, “Our school district has never had a and on camera. In doing so, the PR team can student suffer injuries in a bus accident,” a analyze the messages, conduct focus group in- journalist might file an open records request terviews to determine whether messages were to prove otherwise. Journalists will search for received accurately and work with the spokes- cracks in quotations that contain these words person to improve message and delivery. n and often will find information contrary to a spokesperson’s comments. In addition to “never,” negative words such Melony Shemberger, Ed.D. is assistant profes- as “no” and “none” should be avoided. Every sor of journalism and mass communications at negative message should be countered with Murray State University. positive messages to overcome the tendency [email protected]. to place greater weight and credibility on

How to Turn a Rogue Spokesperson Into Your Greatest Asset By Casey Delperdang

or many PR pros, media interviews our delusions that resolving the mess of the can be both the most and the least two cancellations would be easy. Within min- rewarding aspect of their job. They utes of the third interview, our spokesperson represent the finish line of an often committed a series of media sins, including months-long messaging, pitching, making off-color jokes. training and coordination marathon—the Fmoment at which our tireless efforts may The Fix either pay off or be rendered useless. We made our best attempt at damage The harshest reality about media inter- control, reaching out to each journalist to views is that we have limited control over confirm the direction of the story, tying the their direction. Yes, you can, and should, try angles to key messages (in place of some of to shape the message. Ultimately, though, the spokesperson’s less-acceptable remarks) your message is in the hands of the journalist, and prepared for the worst. and perhaps his or her editor. A week later, the stories began to trickle What you can control is your spokesperson in. We were pleasantly surprised; they weren’t or the executive being interviewed, right? bad. In fact, they were positive, largely on- message and infused with that ethereal qual- The Nightmare ity we hadn’t given our spokesperson enough We were working on a big announcement. credit for: personality. Our spokesperson was ideal—a gregarious The work we’d done with journalists to new hire with extensive media experience. shape the direction of the stories paid off, but The preparation began. We optimized core the fact that they’d liked our spokesperson messages, crafted a compelling pitch, con- made those stories home runs. Journalists ducted strategic outreach and lined up intend to distrust spokesbots who deliver highly terviews with top targets. In advance of the scripted interviews. Offer up a candid inter- big day, we reviewed key details about each view, however, and they’ll likely relax enough opportunity and journalist with the spokes- to focus on the story. person, including likely questions he’d receive. Although our example had a happy end- Ten minutes before our first interview, the ing, it could have gone off the rails. The next journalist cancelled. Our spokesperson had time we worked with this spokesperson, we called her directly for a lengthy, unstaffed considered what could be done to help this chat. Shortly after, the second journalist called executive color within the lines while foster- with similar news. ing, not suppressing, what the journalists had The third interview occurred, but our perceived as a compelling personality. spokesperson’s performance quickly dispelled Here are tips that rose to the top:

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■■ Speak Plainly remind him/her gently that even professional When dealing with executive spokes- athletes and artists receive constant coaching. people, many PR pros, out of an abundance of Why should it be different in business? sensitivity, make the mistake of failing to provide critical feedback. In addition, they may ■■ Adjust Tactics be so indirect that their messages never land. We often stress that we need to engage cus- While it may feel risky, balancing positive tomers where they live online. Why do we fail and constructive feedback through best prac- to do that with spokespeople we’re training? tices is critical for iterative improvement. Familiarize yourself with the spokesper- For example: “You did a spectacular job son’s patterns and adjust communications building a rapport with the journalist! That accordingly. For example, if a company’s said, please remember that you must set standard method for alerting spokespeople of boundaries when using the term ‘off-the-re- interview details is via an Outlook calendar cord.’ We noticed you used this phrase when invite, but your spokesperson checks email talking about X. Tell the journalist exactly sporadically, you’re setting yourself up for a what you mean when you use the term, and no-show situation. see if he/she agrees to honor your conditions. A worst-case scenario is the one noted: a Journalists have no obligation to keep any- spokesperson-initiated workaround where thing you say private. In fact, some may be the spokesperson called the journalist. Avoid more inclined to report on something per- upending the company’s standard communi- ceived as taboo.” cations practices, but discuss ways to supple- ment them to make sure the spokesperson ■■ Pitch and Pray No More receives messages. As PR pros, we know every campaign is unique. We craft media plans for specific ■■ It’s Not Personal campaigns, identify the correct media targets If you know your spokespeople have per- and tailor pitches to individual journalists. sonal relationships with particular journalists, For some reason, however, we often fail to remind them why all communications related take time to provide custom media training— to the announcement must go through you; especially when the spokesperson is perceived multiple points of contact are the quickest as a pro. path to miscommunication. When possible, provide a refresher on media relations best practices. Use examples ■■ Prep the Journalist relevant to your news/announcement. Instead When working with a colorful spokes- of simply reminding a spokesperson how to person, one of the best things you can do to skirt tough questions, run through a list of ensure a smooth interview is to let journal- what those questions might be and practice ists know tactfully what to expect. If your responding with key messages. spokesperson tends to go on tangents that Update the spokesperson about off-limit may frustrate a time-crunched journalist (or, topics, walking through the potential negative worse, divulge unwanted aspects of the an- outcomes if they’re addressed. nouncement), consider ways you can shape the interview to help keep it on target. ■■ Even Pros Have Coaches Give the journalist as much background Respect a spokesperson’s experience, but about the spokesperson as possible, or suggest

sub-topics that you know would be of inter- adjust training and coordinate an approach est to the journalist and align well with the may find that person not only to be manage- spokesperson’s prepared messages. able, but also a valuable ally in telling a com- One of the most critical components of a pelling story with great results. n PR pro’s job is to be an effective liaison between the media and a brand. Throwing an Casey Delperdang is formerly a PR manager at unpredictable spokesperson into the mix can MMI Agency in Houston. be challenging, but PR pros savvy enough to embrace the spokesperson’s unique attributes,

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The Art of the Apology

By John Roderick

he public apology is dead. Long ing of the public communications playbook live the indignant counterattack. occurred in May 2016. Accused of short- Thanks to President Donald changing a veterans’ group on a charitable Trump, public figures and corpo- donation, Trump called a press conference. rate chieftains who find them- He then used the opportunity to unleash a selves on the receiving end of media scrutiny 40-minute attack on the press. Tmay no longer need to recite painfully script- In one deft move, Trump took the kind of ed statements with stoic spouses standing by accusation that had the potential to damage their sides. They just need to fight back. his credibility and turned it into a referendum As former PRNEWS editorial director on liberal bias in the media. Steve Goldstein wrote, “Standard practice In this particular case, Trump avoided [says]…when an organization or individual traditional media-training tactics communi- commits an act that outrages a community… cators have relied on, including conciliatory [it must] …confess its sins, create a forum gestures, speeches and well-placed op-eds. that enables the community to express itself freely and show a commitment to improve- The Best Defense ment by engaging in an activity that can lead Instead he turned to what is known as the to personal or organizational change. At the Strategic Offensive Principle. “The best de- heart of the crisis management response to an fense is a good offense” is how it’s best known. outraged community is the apology itself.” As such, Trump turned the tables, train- The president has turned standard practice ing his sights on the press corps, saying, “The on its head. His routine method of reacting political press is among the most dishonest to crises is to denounce his accuser or those I’ve ever met.” A reporter from ABC News who have registered criticisms. Regardless of was a “sleaze,” Trump said; a CNN reporter which political party you support, you have to was guilty of “abject incompetence.” admit it’s worked, at least until the coronavi- Similar tactics were used in the first rus made its way to U.S. shores. months of the pandemic. The president Many have noted the coronavirus doesn’t routinely whacked “fake news” reporters for play politics. It strikes supporters of both par- asking “nasty” questions about testing and the ties and, as of this writing, has taken the lives administration’s perceived slow response to of nearly 80,000 Americans. Those statistics the virus. are defeating Trump’s offensive, critics argue. Even Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Phil Rucker of the Washington Post got hammered Consistent History when he questioned the president’s wisdom of An early example of Trump’s reengineer- mentioning an interest in injecting disinfec-

tant and UV light to fight coronavirus. two hearings in late August and early Septem- “I’m the president and you’re fake news…I ber 2016. Stumpf resigned in October 2016. know [Rucker]; I see what he writes. He’s a On the other hand, in 2019 New England total faker,” the president responded. Patriots’ majority owner Robert Kraft was Night after night, instead of discussing the rumored to have visited a massage parlor. issues surrounding coronavirus testing, the Immediately, the team denied the story. Then president went on offense, insisting the U.S. is videotape of the incident appeared. Several “doing great at testing…we’ve done more tests weeks after that, Kraft issued a non-apology than any country in the world.” As of press apology. He said he was sorry for his team time in early May 2020, barely 2 percent of and family, though he never apologized or ad- the country had been tested. mitted fault. As of this writing, in mid 2020, The president’s most recent offensive weap- Kraft still owns the team. on is a series of attacks on China, which is It’s important to ask 3 questions before assumed to be where coronavirus originated. launching your crisis counterattack. Right, wrong, true, false—it matters little because Trump’s mastery of the sound bite 1. Is My Brand Edgy Enough? and his disinterest in the mores of traditional When it comes to tone, what’s right for a PR translate into authenticity with his base. multinational like GE may be different from Say what you will about his style; if you ask what works for a younger, edgier brand. Trump supporters what they like about him, Former Vice Media CEO Shane Smith said you’re almost guaranteed to hear a variation the following upon hiring former Bloomberg of, ‘He speaks his mind’ and ‘He’s shaking editor Josh Tyrangiel to lead his news empire: things up in Washington.’ “He’s a murderer…Vice News [is] the fastest growing news platform in the world…[But] Rewriting the Rules of PR How do we take on CNN…and the BBC?… Whether you call it the Trump Effect or Josh is that guy…an [expletive] angry young the end of the age of nuance, the legacy of the man who wants to shove it in their asses.” 2016 election may be a rewriting of the rules At the time, Vice Media was edgy, but it of effective communications. also had a mainstream presence. Still, for This trend is not limited to politics. A Vice, the approach was pitch-perfect. gradual evolution away from the strictures of traditional standards has been unfolding in all 2. Are We Being Authentic? forms of public communications. Authenticity, not to be confused with the The issue for communicators: Can Trump’s truth, is the ability to put complete conviction style work for others? In fact, it works, but behind your statements. It’s everything in the only for some. current communications environment. Wells Fargo CEO John Stumpf and the This is a fundamental change, but in a phony accounts scandal is a timeless example. world where it’s commonplace for public While Stumpf admitted culpability eventu- figures to show their anger and vent, overly ally, his initial response was to blame 5,300 scripted public statements and carefully low-level staff. He also refused to admit his worded détentes can come across as insincere. bank had a cultural or systemic problem. That An example is the scrape between JPMor- offensive failed to convince lawmakers in gan Chase boss Jamie Dimon and Cameron Washington, D.C., who grilled Stumpf during Fine, president/CEO of the Independent

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Community Bankers Association. When types of comments never occur in a vacuum. asked during a CNBC interview about critical They are not knockout punches that render comments Fine had made, Dimon didn’t say opponents neutralized. Rather, they are open- he respectfully disagreed or appreciated the ing volleys in a salvo that often reverberates sentiment. He called Fine “a jerk.” for days in the echo chamber of 24-hour news That made headlines for one day and then channels and social media. disappeared. Known as a no-nonsense execu- Just as it was in third grade, if you call tive who sometimes has little patience for someone a name, you’d better expect retalia- debate, Dimon arguably emerged stronger in tion. You, your spokespeople and your brand the end, his authenticity very much intact. will need to have the resolve to ride out the 3. How Thick Is Our Skin? ensuing drama. n Live by the angry barb, die by it. An unfortunate side effect of the trend toward unfil- John Roderick is president of J. Roderick Public tered public communications is that these Relations. [email protected].

How to Respond When the Media Runs Away With Your Crisis By Mike Rosen

t starts like this: It’s Sunday. It’s early, Guiding Principles very early. Your phone rings, and then Many communications practitioners in dings with a text, demanding attention. times of crisis live by the adage of “Tell it all, You grab the phone. The voice you hear tell it fast and tell the truth.” is your CEO who simply, and loudly, There is value to this. Most situations says “We’re f**ked.” evolve in real time. Approach each knowing IThere’s an article, she says, and you quickly that actions must, and will, change based on go online as your CEO progresses into a new information or a changing environment. swear-o-matic. On the homepage is an article In business, as in nature, our instincts im- with a headline that accuses your organiza- mediately deliver four initial options in crisis: tion of several major atrocities. The article is 1. Fight (change what is causing it) loosely based on actual events. They quote 2. Freeze (do nothing and hope) many authoritative sources, with one major 3. Fluctuate (change how it impacts you) exception: you. In my experience, media takes an interest 4. Flight (run) for one of two main motivators: Don’t let these instincts drive your decision 1. Because a real crisis has emerged, and making. The way to the head is through the they are sincerely interested in informing heart. Facts are critical, but 85% of opinion their audience about what happened and how will be influenced by the emotional response it impacts them. you evoke. 2. Because a reporter has a very clear Lead decisively even through the maze personal agenda with very little interest in of changing information and pressure from allowing facts to get in the way of what they many stakeholders. Above all else, do not believe will be a great story (or lead to their compromise your values, ethics or empathy. next award). Before taking any action, I ask myself three While the second is much less common, I questions. have worked with both extremes, from both 1. What is the worst that can happen? sides of the microphone. I worked in news 2. What is the likelihood that it will? and documentaries prior to transitioning to the agency side. 3. What is the severity if it does? There are crises that can be anticipated and The answer to each has helped to inform those that cannot. A crisis, anticipated or not, many of the decisions I need to make when usually emerges when there is a perceived time and/or information is limited. or real threat against public safety, financial security or reputation. Frequently, all three are connected.

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What First? cluster them, which is helpful in determining Immediately deploy tracking tools to moni- what timing and tactics you will use for each. tor traditional and social media. Use metrics The inner circle should include anyone such as sources, story placements, impres- with veto power. sions, share of voice, tonality and engagement. Board members, senior leadership and This will allow you to track how much trac- those who must deploy decisions and influ- tion the story is getting using data points for ence others will make up the composition of evaluating potential impacts on you. the second tier. Deconstruct the article and catalogue each The next tier includes those individuals element as fact, fiction or misrepresentation, who have been directly impacted by the crisis. as well as those that might need more infor- Your fourth tier are those stakeholders who mation gathering to understand. For each, are critical to the success of the organization. make notes using data that supports your These might include regulators, shareholders classification. This process will allow you to or large donors. identify potential strategies and tactics. The next tier is comprised of influencers Once you have the facts aligned with each such as the media, and any staff person who of these elements, it is a good time to brief comes in direct contact with customers. I the lawyers. There are always significant legal include major vendors in this group. implications to what is said and who says it. Tier six are your customers, as well as your potential customers. Engage Your Stakeholders This is not intended to diminish the impor- It is now time to widen the circle and tance of any single group but rather to reflect engage your stakeholders. It can be useful to an order in which individuals are informed

and the level of information that is shared. It is not uncommon for the sharing of informa- Checklist for Reputation tion to be done almost concurrently. Management During Crisis Call to Action The impact of a crisis on your brand can be significantly influenced by how you Now, it is time to do something. You could: handle it. In many cases, it can have an ■■ Do nothing. even greater impact than the crisis itself. ■■ Issue a statement but not do interviews. Think the Houston Astros, Ruth’s Chris Steak House or Theranos. ■■ Be available for interviews. Many decisions are also naively made ■■ Utilize trusted third-party advocates. under the false comfort that there is a reli- There are times when to do nothing is your able, slow-paced and predictable news best option, and it is an option I frequently cycle, or that Twitter, Facebook and recommend. “Do nothing“ does not mean you Instagram don’t factor into the equation. don’t advance any Plan B or Plan C strategies. As with all corporate communication, to It means that currently there is nothing you be effective in times of crisis, practitioners must be agnostic to medium and time. could say that would alter public opinion, and We must use the channels that our audi- the options available to you for messaging, ences prefer, at the times they prefer to though they might be true and compelling, use them. Those who follow these simple, common-sense steps have fared signifi- would not alter the current perception. Or, you cantly better than those who have not. believe the story will not escalate or have sig- ¨¨ Explain in real time what is happening. nificant impact if you don’t add fuel to the fire. ¨¨ Describe how you are monitoring the Issuing a statement and denying the specific situation. requests for interviews is valuable when you ¨¨ Describe how you are acquiring want to ensure that you maintain as much information to determine how the control as possible in delivering a message crisis happened. while avoiding the reporter using the oppor- ¨¨ Share when and how you will provide updates to stakeholders. tunity to take the discussion in an entirely ¨¨ Once you know, describe what did different direction. However, there is a lot that happen. is also sacrificed. The audience does not get to ¨¨ Apologize for it happening (If you did see or hear the sincerity of the statement from it, own it). a person of authority and the perception can ¨¨ Explain what you are doing to cor- be that you are avoiding accepting responsi- rect what happened. ¨¨ Explain what you are doing to pre- bility by avoiding the reporter. vent it from happening again. If you make yourself available for inter- ¨¨ Share the extra steps you are taking views, I want to empathize this again: The above and beyond to correct and way to the head is through the heart. Facts are prevent it. critical. However, there are some estimates that indicate 85 percent of opinion will be influenced by the emotional response you Finally, utilizing trusted third-party advo- evoke. Each detail you select, where you do cates who can speak on your behalf provides the interview, how well you craft your state- many benefits, including providing you the ments and how well prepared and trained that opportunity to leverage their brand equity spokesperson is will determine how well you and providing an implied endorsement; “I will be perceived. trust these people, and if they trust those peo-

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ple, then they must be OK.” Trusted advocates I am not a fan of many of these strategies. can be effective in several ways, such as flex- I believe organizations should never compro- ing their social muscle, writing and placing mise their values, ethics or empathy. op-eds and participating in the implementa- When working with some executives, I tion of solutions. have taken them aside, looked them in the eye and told them, “When you walk into a room, Develop Your Position you need to be the person that we need you In crisis, as with any other communication, to be.“ Or more simply, “You need to be the you need to develop your position, messag- person that your dog thinks you are.” This is ing and tone. Specifically, in a crisis, there are most true in a crisis. many strategies that can be taken: It takes good information to make good ■■ Deny that it was you. decisions. During a crisis, it can be easy to ■■ Deny you had any control over prevent- become distracted. ing it from happening. Information and conditions change quick- ■■ Clarify or re-frame what happened. ly. Many people will demand information. ■■ Attack the attacker for having a mali- Many people will be in your face weighing in cious agenda. with strong opinions and even stronger emo- ■■ Minimize the event. tions. Utilize the elements of your existing ■■ Focus on your good intentions. crisis plan that allow you to quickly surround ■■ Create context that provides broader yourself with others who can take on spe- perspective for the incident. cific responsibilities, thereby allowing you to ■■ Position yourself as a victim. acquire information and the ability to focus ■■ Take corrective actions and apologize. on the use of actionable intelligence. Then,

as information and conditions do change, is going on or help me escape from what is course-correct in real time. going on. The first two provide you with an Most practitioners have adjusted to the opportunity to help turn your crisis into an not-so-new normal of anyone being able to opportunity. If you do not have a crisis com- generate content, and deliver it around the munication plan in place, create one. It will clock across multiple platforms and channels, provide you with the foundation you need so in real time. What becomes more complex that, very early on a Sunday morning, when and troubling is the escalation of fake news your phone rings, your first response to hear- and alternative facts, as well as compromised n journalistic integrity. ing, “We’re f**ked,” will be, “I’ve got this.” I have always believed that the media provides three valuable services: to tell me what Mike Rosen is a retired managing principal at is going on, tell me how to deal with what PRR. @rosenmike

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4 Media Relations

Looking Inward: Why Crisis PR Faces a Crisis

By Eric Dezenhall

pecializing in crisis management These different reactions speak to the diag- wasn’t always considered as normal nostic error occurring. Crises do not neces- as it is today. It was considered a sarily arise because companies are miscom- bit offbeat 30 years ago. Were there municating to stakeholders. Often companies enough crises on which to base a are under siege from calculated attacks where business? Wouldn’t clients in crisis just use today’s tools of communication inherently Stheir existing corporate PR firms? And what benefit those with complaints that are emo- was crisis management anyway? tionally resonant. Three decades later, the specialty finds The crisis management field belongs less in itself in, well, crisis. Technology and the rise the PR business than it does in an amalgam of the digital age have changed everything, of management consulting and journalism. to the point where many crises can cause As crisis professionals, we have an obligation mass chaos for an organization. to see where things are headed as opposed to Yet crisis managers seem to be every- stubbornly suggesting a company can tweet where, equipped with clever-sounding cli- its way out of a product recall. chés (“Get ahead of the story”), management advice (“Fire the CEO!”) and the hyper- If crisis communications is evangelization of social media. to thrive…we must provide The crisis management discipline faces advice based on achievable three significant challenges. results and the limits of Challenge #1: Philosophy communications in damage control. This is a diagnostic error. There is the -be lief that reputational and business crises are communication problems rather than funda- Challenge #2: Technology mental conflicts between adverse parties. A Brands under attack cannot wholly control corporate PR chief asked me not to use the social media despite advisors habitually tell- phrase “adversaries” when meeting with his ing them they can. Clients are starting to take CEO to describe hostile parties coming after notice of this. them. “We don’t have adversaries,” the PR Three years ago, any 20-something em- chief said. “We have stakeholders.” Oh. ployee invoking social media was hailed as I explained I would be of no value if I a genius. Top executives, terrified of looking deliberately misdiagnosed the situation. The obsolete, cheered on the charade. Today, these CEO and general counsel liked my assess- same businesspeople are asking digital pros- ment; the PR chief was less enthusiastic. elytizers exactly what they hope social media

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will accomplish. grams that make gratuitous use of the word “transparency,” even though they haven’t the Challenge #3: Ethics remotest intention of being transparent nor This challenge is anchored in consultants giving advice based on what can be billed and would being so help achieve business goals. is occasionally based on fantasy. The crisis If I am so skeptical about the crisis man- discipline is a hotbed of obscene over-prom- agement discipline, why do I still do it? I take ising, which is why my dictum to colleagues the cases where I think I can help. is: “We never want to be the first-hired crisis The crisis discipline has taken many forms management firm.” over 30 years. It now stands at a crossroads. The first firm usually gets fired either- be cause it promised results it couldn’t deliver or The rise of the digital world continues to per- because firing is today’s favorite crisis man- vade all forms of communications and busi- agement device. ness, intensifying the speed at which informa- I was once on a call with a menagerie of PR tion travels and the destructive form it takes. consultants. The client was a loathed compa- If crisis communications is to thrive in this ny with a problem as terrible as any I’ve seen. new environment we must provide advice One consultant, predictably and with great salesmanship, promised to get a major me- based on achievable results and the limits of dia outlet to “tell your side of the story.” The communications in damage control. We must media outlet, of course, rejected the pitch, but wave goodbye to the abstract communica- the firm still billed a fortune. tions clichés that serve little purpose other Is it ethical to continue to peddle advice than filling time sheets.n that is good for billings and may make a client feel better, but in the end either doesn’t work or makes matters worse? Eric Dezenhall is co-founder and CEO of I have seen clients sold on countless pro- Dezenhall Resources. @EricDezenhall

Build Relationships with Media Before—Not During—a Crisis By Carreen Winters

he classic school of crisis man- manufacturing organization, etc. Train these agement is rooted in the concept leaders and expose them to working with the of goodwill banks, with the idea media before they are holding down the fort that a company builds goodwill in the face of a crisis, and let reporters get to over time, a currency that helps know all of your key leaders as people, not withstand a crisis. While much has changed just talking heads. Tin the best practices of crisis management, particularly in light of the 24/7 news cycle 2. Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Beat and social media platforms as both conversa- Reporter’s Basket tion starters and media sources, the concept Think about media broadly and expand of building a goodwill bank still holds. That your relationship set. It isn’t always your concept includes building relationships with industry beat reporter that will cover a break- members of the media before you find your- ing news event, especially because many of self in a defensive situation. today’s news outlets are structured so that Fundamentally, building a goodwill bank reporters are covering multiple beats. Issues begins with building relationships. And you impacting your company could be covered need to build those relationships in advance, by a workplace reporter, a legal journalist, a outside of a news cycle. Just like any personal marketing editor or even a general assign- relationship, if it’s one sided—wherein one ment reporter. party is always asking for something, but never giving anything in return—that media Building a goodwill bank begins relationship won’t be a healthy one. with building relationships...Just Here are five ways you can build goodwill like any personal relationships, with the media every day, and fill that good- if it’s one sided...that media will bank. relationship won’t be a healthy one.

1. Diversify Relationships Beyond the PR Team One of the best ways to move beyond We trust people, not companies. It’s impor- transactional media relations (“Will you cover tant for reporters who cover your industry to my news?” “Can I have an interview?”) is to know multiple people in your organization, be a resource to reporters for stories that are beyond just the PR team and the CEO. Think not about your company. Invest the time to about people you might want to call upon in help educate a new reporter covering your a crisis—a chief scientific officer in a pharma- industry on key issues, regulatory processes, ceutical company; a head of operations in a and “who’s who” in the industry. Be available

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to talk to them about stories that don’t feature 4. There Is No Such Thing as a B-list in your company, either on the record (when ap- Media Relationships propriate) or on background. Today’s cub reporter is tomorrow’s editor. Your trade publications and hometown news 3. Deliver and Own Your Bad News outlets can set the tone for national media Bad news happens. Own up to it, and coverage. Frequently you will see small-town whenever possible, deliver your own bad journalists getting national exposure (and a news as quickly as practicable. When you big boost in career trajectory) while cover- have a track record of doing so, it will trans- ing a major news event. If you haven’t treated late into credibility when a really big issue them as important before a crisis hits, they breaks. And even if you can’t offer an on-the- will remember that during the crisis. n record spokesperson, don’t dodge the media. Be aware of optics. If you know you have a big issue breaking tomorrow, don’t have lunch Carreen Winters is the chair, reputation man- with a key reporter today if you can’t share agement & chief strategy officer at MWWPR. any “heads up” information. @carreenwl.

Quality of Communication Trumps Quantity During a Crisis By Karina Frayter

ngaging with the media during a to maintain the trust of your stakeholders and crisis usually makes companies to protect your brand’s reputation. anxious. After all, at no time is Boeing, for instance, is still dealing with an organization more vulnerable the fallout from its mishandling of the 737 than when a crisis strikes. MAX crisis. In its initial stages, that crisis was The first instinct of corporate leaders is -of marked by minimal engagement with the me- Eten to avoid the media and lay low. To give in dia and defensive messaging, which ignored to this instinct, however, is to give up the op- the public’s immediate concerns around safety portunity to define and influence public per- and created a perception that the company ception of how you are handling the situation, was more interested in profits than people. and let the media do it for you. Facebook’s 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal — when Be Proactive CEO Mark Zuckerberg waited five days to ad- While no two crises are alike, several es- dress the misuse of user data, spurring a viral sential principles of crisis media relations #WheresZuck hashtag — is a prime example apply universally: of how such an approach can backfire. ■■ Avoid a communication vacuum. If you In good times and in bad, media can be a don’t fill it, journalists will. powerful megaphone for your message, and it ■■ Provide regular updates on incremental is an important gateway to your stakeholders progress. It demonstrates that action is and the public. How frequently and in what being taken and that you are in control form to engage with the media is a different of the situation. This also may make your matter and depends on the nature of a crisis crisis less exciting for reporters to follow. and will accompany’s specific circumstances. ■■ Listen and respond. Active listening helps identify questions that matter for Base Action on Intention your stakeholders but may be under the Whether you are trying to manage a major radar for your internal team. In addition, issue within a company, or the ramifications if journalists report incorrect informa- of a public health crisis like COVID-19, your tion, you will be able to promptly set the earned media tactics should be grounded in record straight, which is especially criti- your overall crisis management strategy. cal during a crisis. Also critical for determining when and how to reach out to the media is to know your Is this Information Newsworthy? stakeholders, understand their concerns, what Avoiding a communication vacuum and type of information they need to know and providing regular updates doesn’t mean when and how to deliver it to them. The ulti- flooding every reporter on your media list mate goal of communicating during a crisis is with information.

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Before reaching out to the media with an be responsive to reporters and respect their update, consider if it’s really newsworthy, rel- deadlines. Even if you are still assessing the evant to the reporter and merits a story at this situation, simply saying that is better than stage of the news cycle. staying silent. A company’s social media platforms and Overall, the company’s availability to the corporate website are valuable channels media during a crisis is a sign of corporate for communicating incremental updates to openness and honesty, which is essential for stakeholders and getting your message vis- protecting brand reputation and maintaining ible. Social media, in particular, is an effective public trust. alternative to earned media when your audience desires a steady stream of updates, but Crisis Can Be an Opportunity you don’t have enough for a full-fledged pitch Crisis situations, if handled correctly, often that will lead to news coverage. create opportunities to elevate visibility or With crises that concern public health even reset reputation by demonstrating cor- and safety, the threshold for newsworthiness porate purpose and values. and the need for sensitivity at all stages of the For example, just before the COVID-19 process are particularly high. It’s best to err crisis, the pharmaceutical industry was the on the side of caution when deciding to pitch most poorly regarded industry by the Ameri- media rather than risk being perceived as op- can public, who had grown frustrated with portunistic or tone-deaf, and possibly creat- high drug prices and the opioid problem. By ing a lasting negative brand impression. Many proactively talking to the media about its re- reporters have been shaming pitches on social sponse to the coronavirus, the industry seems media that appear to exploit the pandemic. to have found an opportunity to rehabilitate Moreover, it’s important to be strategic its image. Since the pandemic, pharma CEOs in selecting which reporters and outlets to have been appearing in the media regularly to approach. They need to be a good fit for the talk about their efforts to expedite manufac- message you want to deliver and the audience turing of vaccines and treatments. you’re seeking to reach. Take into account the To find opportunities, it’s important to be tone of their past coverage of your company. creative, stay on top of the news cycle and focus on stories that allow your company to Balance Under-Communication with join the conversation in the most authentic Over-Communication and caring way. If your company is at the center of negative attention, spokespeople should proactively In Summary contact journalists only to provide critical in- No two crises are alike. The prescription formation for public knowledge or to request for engaging with the media will differ based corrections for factually inaccurate reporting. on circumstances. But a proactive approach News cycles are usually short, so seek to and a “we care” attitude will help determine strike a balance between providing enough the right cadence. When managing crises, information to not be perceived as evasive, quality of communication trumps quantity. n but don’t provide too much information that’s going to work against you by keeping the story in the headlines longer than necessary. Karina Frayter is head of corporate media at For incoming press requests, it’s best to RF|Binder. @kfrayter

Pitching the Media During a Crisis By Annie Pace Scranton

oronavirus. It’s a word few of us eye, but can also position the brand well for a knew before late 20019, all of us comeback when this ends. know now and one that every- There are, also, many companies, brands one wants to forget. The mod- and people who are uniquely qualified to ern world has never before dealt speak to the media right now and offer up with a crisis of this magnitude. extremely important advice and content. For CIn public relations, we are used to helping those, navigating this crisis becomes much clients deal with their own set of crises. Of more nuanced. course, these all pale in comparison to the pandemic, but the script has flipped insofar as First and foremost, when our clients now are not the ones in crisis—the pitching in a crisis, make sure planet is. to act human...Don’t jump When a client has a “typical” crisis, we tend right in with your pitch. to think of something derogatory coming to light in the press. The publicist’s job is to go on the defensive and to create a narrative that counteracts the negative press. Ideally, a Pitching the media can be many things. publicist can help prevent a crisis from ever It can be fun. It can get your creative juices occurring, though that’s not always possible. flowing. It can also be really frustrating! Now publicists are being asked: How are Now add a global pandemic on top of it, we going to navigate this global crisis? and just like everything else, pitching the media has taken on a “new normal” mentality. Navigating the Nuances of Our First and foremost, when pitching in a cri- New Normal sis, make sure to act human. Journalists and The answer is different for each client. For producers are people, too, and we’re all going those in the travel, luxury or events space, it’s through the same thing. Start off an email going to be a much tougher slog. With little- addressing the state of the world and ask how to-zero revenue coming into those clients, the recipient is doing. Don’t jump right in they likely can’t afford to continue in the same with your pitch. manner with their publicity plans. Likely the Along those lines, it’s so important to not best suggestions from a publicist is to have the come across as profiteering in any way from founder or CEO act as a thought leader and this crisis. This is a delicate balance between weigh in on the current state of the particu- getting your message out to the media but do- lar industry in the news. This helps to keep ing so in a thoughtful way. the brand first and foremost in the public’s If you have content, ideas, products or

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insights that will truly be helpful to the pub- next week or even by tomorrow. Being nimble lic, lead with that. Being sincere in wanting and creative is always a top trait among publi- to help their audience by providing sound cists, but during a crisis, it’s ever more impor- insights is OK; journalists need content now tant to realize the need for flexibility. If you’re more than ever, so they will likely welcome a too rigid and not able to pivot quickly, you pitch. They may not reply to it, but you can could miss out on some great opportunities. follow up once in a polite way to make sure Lastly, wait for the right time to pursue they saw your email. your outreach. Someone once said to me “no- Also, make sure you always, always look body cares,” and they probably don’t if you’re into the reporter you’re pitching before you pitching them solely about your business in pitch him or her. It sounds so simple, but the hopes of profiting from a media place- you’d be surprised how many in our indus- ment. Journalists do, however, care about tan- try don’t take the time to do this. Make sure gible, verified information as it pertains to the that you are certain that their coverage areas crisis at hand and how we can move forward. haven’t changed, and that you’ve read recent Give the journalists what they need. If you articles or watched recent clips from their do, you’ll have the best chance possible of get- shows. You need to ensure that what you’re ting that coverage you’re seeking. n pitching is on-brand with the content they have been producing. Also, remember that the angle you’re pitch- Annie Pace Scranton is founder and president ing today may drastically change next month, of Pace Public Relations. @anniescranton

Rewriting the Rules: How to Get Real (and Be Effective) in a Crisis By Jennifer Hellman

n today’s Twitter-influenced world, where business leaders and elected Checklist: Attributes of officials—even POTUS—seem more Authentic Spokespeople accessible than ever, overly rehearsed ¨¨ Respectful messages from talking heads are not ¨¨ Thoughtful received well by the public. It’s time to banish ¨¨ Candid Iboilerplate crisis response phrases like “we ¨¨ Focused take this very seriously” and deliver messages ¨¨ Relatable during a crisis that are truly meaningful to ¨¨ Polite ¨¨ Honest key audiences. ¨¨ Attentive Communicating in times of crisis is dif- ¨¨ Credible ficult. I’ve worked with many talented PR ¨¨ Prepared professionals who are rock stars at proactive ¨¨ Not overly rehearsed communications and media relations, but ¨¨ Knowledgeable find themselves at a loss when a crisis hits. ¨¨ Flexible That’s because crisis communications require ¨¨ Passionate a shift in thinking. Unless a company experiences crises on a regular basis, chances are tion “takes these allegations very seriously” its public relations team hasn’t been in crisis in response to an employee allegedly stealing mode for a while—if ever. customer information, we want to scream, Combine that lack of experience with a “Of course you do!” world that is constantly changing, and one Our basic expectation is that financial in- that is currently dealing with COVID-19. stitutions safeguard our personal information Having a top executive reading formal, prepared remarks on camera will not cut it. and that restaurants undergo and pass regular Today we see leaders regularly delivering food safety inspections. So, when an organi- messages in real time on social media. They zation doesn’t meet our basic expectations, its communicate in their own words and let us leaders must explain why. see who they are as human beings. We have This is where the legal team usually steps become accustomed to this authenticity, and in. If time permits, a lawyer should review all we expect it. messaging in response to a crisis, but it must happen quickly, and it is the role of the public Creating an Authentic Message relations professional to filter out the legalese. When we hear that a restaurant “takes food However, the public expects a response from preparation very seriously” in response to brands faster than ever before, and as hours an E. coli outbreak or that a financial institu- and days go by, people can become unsettled.

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have become ill. Guidelines of Authentic Another example that executives com- Messaging monly fear is the death of an employee while Do: at work. If a death happens, they should say ¨¨ Put people first more than, “Our thoughts and prayers are ¨¨ Express emotion and empathy with the family.” It is a nice sentiment, but ¨¨ Express regret and appreciation, if we’ve heard it so many times that this state- appropriate ment alone feels impersonal. ¨¨ Share facts What if they added some information Don’t: about the person? They don’t have to imme- ¨¨ Use buzzwords or jargon diately disclose a name, but they can say that ¨¨ Use marketing messages or boiler- the employee who lost his/her life was a good plate language person who was appreciated. Try instead: ¨¨ Speculate or overpromise “Today was a devastating day. We lost one of our own who showed up to work every day Monitoring social media is a good tactic in for the past seven years, ready to help, with a this case, as well as having an interim imme- signature grin that many of his colleagues will diate messaging strategy. always remember. Our hearts are heavy, and There is a tendency to not communicate our thoughts and prayers are with his family.” publicly until we have all of the answers. There is also the constant—and real—fear of Set Your Spokesperson Up for lawsuits. But we can say something without Success having every answer or getting the organi- Even the most genuine person can seem zation into legal trouble. If we don’t get the formal and uncomfortable in front of a camera. message out first, someone else will, and it is Being a good spokesperson takes training and much more difficult to correct than to create. practice. That doesn’t mean that spokespeople Maybe the restaurant owners in the afore- have been trained to act. Instead, they are trained mentioned example don’t know the source of on the often-awkward art of giving a media inter- the E. coli, but they can empathize with their view, so that when it happens, they focus less on customers who got sick. Instead of a message the mechanics and more on the message—posi- about taking food preparation very seriously, tioning themselves to come across as authentic. the restaurant could instead say, “We are very One of the most rewarding parts of my job sorry that some of our patrons who recently as a communications professional is helping ate food from our restaurant are sick. We an organization in crisis. This is when good are doing everything we can to identify the judgment and sound advice are most critical source and will not reopen until we do. Our and most valued. If done well, organizations business depends on our customers having are judged more for their response than on a positive experience. If the cause of their the crisis itself. If that response puts people symptoms originated here, we will do every- first and is delivered in an authentic and thing we can to earn back their trust.” timely way, the organization and its reputa- n This statement hasn’t admitted fault, but it tion may emerge stronger than ever. has acknowledged that the restaurant owners are aware of the potential problem, they are Jennifer Hellman is chief operating officer and addressing it and they apologize that some of principal, Goff Public. [email protected] their customers—whom they care about— or @crisiscoach

The Crisis Paradox: Advocate or Apologize? By: Joshua J. Smith

here’s an important question often the first statement, quote or release made every organization should ask at by the organization. It’s a defining and critical the start of a crisis: What do we piece of evidence that defines the tone for the tell our customers, audience and organization. It’s also the official position that an stakeholders? organization takes with regard to its audience, But at the heart of that quest lies a deeper and it’s a critical first step in crisis mitigation. Tquestion: How should we tell them? Crisis communication often means break- Depending on who you ask, there are ing, or responding to, bad news. There are anywhere from three to six stages of a crisis. many ways to communicate bad news, and Some say pre-crisis, crisis and post-crisis. the tone and verbiage go a long way toward Others break down the middle stage into framing audience opinion. Here, organiza- several additional steps. tions have to make a choice: Do they want to Some crisis plans are cyclical, some are flat take a firm position of advocacy or apology? and others are never-ending. If you look back This presents a communication paradox. at crisis communication case studies over the PR scholars have researched crisis com- years, you’ll notice a consistency: Every communication for decades. Theories and models munication plan demonstrates an organiza- have emerged to help practitioners articulate tion trying to come out of a crisis with as little and map out these situations such as through damage as possible. the Contingency Theory of Accommoda- The goal is always the same: getting to “post- tions and the Contingency Continuum. With crisis” as soon as possible. In some instances, these, an organization must choose a position businesses come out better off than when they on a scale of advocacy to accommodation. went into a crisis (such as the famous Tylenol Similarly, when crafting statements, quotes crisis in1982). Others do their best, ending up and releases to the public in a time of crisis, with an “A” for effort, but an “F” in public trust organizations must form a stance. (such as the 2016 fiasco with battery issues in the Samsung Galaxy Note7). In some instances, The Advocate businesses never fully recover, such as when Consider this hypothetical situation: a United Airlines violently removed a passenger community gym closes to limit the spread of from one of its planes and CEO Oscar Munoz’s the COVID-19 virus. In an email to members, statements both to the press and to employees the business says: actually made the situation worse. “In an effort to flatten the curve, and The Paradox reduce the rate of contamination among No two crises are ever the same. However, our members, we are closing all gym loca- the best indices of public opinion in a crisis is tions until further notice. We believe this is

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the right thing to do, and that it is our social putting the members’ best interest in the responsibility to put the health and safety second line: “Your health and safety are our of our community first. We hope you will top priority and ingrained in our mission.” continue to stay active at home, and we are Most notably, the note ends with an apol- providing a list of at-home workouts to keep ogy: “We apologize for any inconvenience or you moving during our closure. We thank added stress this may cause,” clearly taking an you for your understanding, and will see you apologetic stance. again when we reopen.” Let’s go back and look at the examples cited at the beginning. In the example of the Here, the organization is clearly taking statement from Samsung, did the company a stance of advocacy, starting with a goal take a stance of advocacy or apology? “to flatten the curve, and reduce the rate of contamination.” The note goes on to say, “we “In response to recently reported cases believe this is the right thing to do” and “it’s of the new Galaxy Note7, we conducted a our social responsibility.” While the gym thorough investigation and found a battery thanks its members for their understanding, cell issue. To date (as of September 1), there they never apologize for any inconvenience or have been 35 cases that have been reported short notice. This organization comes off as globally and we are currently conducting a an authority, standing by its decisions. thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the mar- The Apologist ket. However, because our customers’ safety Now, consider the same organization, but in is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have this instance it is taking an apologetic stance: stopped sales of the Galaxy Note7. For customers who already have Galaxy Note7 devices, “As suggested by health officials, to reduce we will voluntarily replace their current device the rate of contamination among our mem- with a new one over the coming weeks.” bers, we have decided to close all gym locations until further notice. Your health and If you’re thinking advocacy, you’re right, safety are our top priority and ingrained in especially when you compare it to the video our mission. We know the gym is a haven statement put out later by COO Tim Baxter, for many people who use working out as a which is clearly apologetic. healthy means of dealing with stress, preventing illness and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. “At Samsung, our highest priority is our We hope you will continue to stay active at customers: their aspirations, their needs, their home, and we are providing a list of at-home safety. And with battery cell defects in some workouts to keep you moving during our of our Note7 phones, we did not meet the closure. We apologize for any inconvenience standard of excellence that you expect and or added stress this may cause. We hope to deserve. For that, we apologize, especially to see you back again when we reopen.” those of you that were personally affected by this…We take seriously our responsibility to Here we see the organization putting the address your concerns about safety, and we onus on another entity, and an ambiguous will work every day to earn back your trust one at that. The gym is not claiming respon- through a number of unprecedented actions sibility; rather it frames the statement by and with the extraordinary support of our car-

rier partners, suppliers and the United States of our plans to investigate the pertinent facts Consumer Product Safety Commission.” and make any necessary changes to our practices that would help prevent such an occur- Read the comments of that video. People rence from ever happening again. And third, actually give them credit for taking respon- to reassure you that Starbucks stands firmly sibility. Some even say they feel sorry for the against discrimination or racial profiling…” company having to deal with the crisis. Let’s look at the United Airlines statement to Now this one is clearly an apology and employees (see above). Advocacy or Apology? outlines steps to remedy the situation. The If you’re saying advocacy again, you’re right. follow-up video statement from the CEO How about the message from Starbucks reaffirms this stance. The only criticism in CEO Kevin Johnson, following racial target- this situation is that it took them a few days to ing in one of the company’s stores? respond and by that point #BoycottStarbucks was trending on Twitter. “I’m writing this evening to convey three things: First, to once again express our deep- Which Approach is Best? est apologies to the two men who were ar- First, you can do both, advocacy and apol- rested with a goal of doing whatever we can ogy. But one will always outshine the other. to make things right. Second, to let you know Whenever you’re crafting a narrative in a time

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of crisis, consider both sides of the paradox. changes that result in positive outcomes. Starbucks, for example, held mandatory ■■ Put your audience first. Meet them in the training for its employees, clearly follow- middle and tell them what they need to ing up on its promise. know. ■■ Mix in the good with the bad. Offer ■■ Advocating doesn’t always mean being remedies, solutions and resources to help firm about your organization. In the your audience through the crisis. Think hypothetical example above, the gym beyond what you can offer and point statement indicated, “We believe this is your constituency to resources from the right thing to do, and that it is our other organizations. It shows you care social responsibility to put the health and about them more than your bottom line. safety of our community first.” This is an ■■ If you’re going to purely advocate, expect organization taking a stance of advocacy pushback. Some might see it as rude, for the greater good of the community. insensitive or irresponsible. Brands that ■■ Apologizing doesn’t necessarily mean advocate have to be matured and ready you’re at fault. There’s always something to stand by their statements. Taking a to apologize for in business. stance of pure advocacy requires convic- ■■ Write your statement, then reread it to tion and strong leadership. Make sure see how much you favor one side over you have both. the other. Then ask yourself, is that the ■■ Apologize when you have solutions in stance you want to take? How likely are place. You can’t just say sorry. You have you to change that stance? What does your audience need to know? How does to say sorry, and we’re working to fix it by n your stance affect that? Should the legal taking a number of particular steps. department weigh in? ■■ Whether you advocate or apologize, ensure you are making promises you can Joshua Smith is an Assistant Professor, Public follow up on, and remind your audi- Relations and Undergraduate Public Relations ence when you do. As you move through Sequence Coordinator at the Richard T. Rob- the crisis you’ll have ample time to ertson School of Media and Culture at Virginia make good on promises and even make Commonwealth University. [email protected]

Responding to Media Inquiries about Employees Testing Positive for COVID-19 By Aidan Ryan

[Editor’s Note: The below is an edited version of Be transparent about what you know guidance the law firm Goldberg Segalla sent to and don’t, and how you’re controlling clients to handle coronavirus media inquiries.] the situation Dispense with the windup. Whether re- mployers of all types should pre- leasing a written statement or communicating pare to occupy the local or na- verbally with reporters, avoid sharing generic tional media spotlight in the event information about the virus. Similarly, while that an employee tests positive there will be a place to discuss your organiza- for COVID-19. This doesn’t have tion’s response measures, this does not belong to be damaging. While having an employee in the front-end of a statement. Efall ill is of grave concern, it offers employ- Instead, plainly and directly confirm the ers a chance to convey calm and control. In case of infection. Explain how and when this addition, the company can communicate knowledge reached your organization’s lead- key messages about response measures. It is ership. After that, lay out safety measures that a moment to bolster credibility. Employers the organization took in response to this case. confronted with media inquiries should keep the following in mind: Anticipate and prepare answers for questions that reporters likely will ask Ensure your organization has a While it is understandable and acceptable COVID-19 response team for an organization to respond “We don’t All companies and organizations should know” to certain media questions, this should create an internal team dedicated to moni- be due to legitimately missing or unveri- toring news about COVID-19. In addition, fied information—not a spokesperson’s poor the team typically makes decisions to ensure preparation for the question. workplace safety as well as business continu- If a spokesperson claims that the or- ity. It should have a PR professional attached ganization doesn’t know something, and to it as it communicates updates, both inter- later reporting reveals that the organiza- nally and externally. tion had knowledge about the subject, media In the event of a media inquiry or the need attention will shift from the facts of the case to make a public statement, this responsibil- to a perceived cover-up—even if a cover-up ity should fall to a person with experience in was never the organization’s intention. issues management and strategic messaging. Since timeliness is critical, this person should Communicate the organization’s be familiar with the organization’s COVID-19 COVID-19 response measures response and decision-making. Once you have answered the most press-

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ing questions about the employee, active risks A media inquiry regarding a case of COV- and case-specific response measures, commu- ID-19 within your organization does not call nicate key messages about your organization’s for panic, nor does it call for no comment. overall COVID-19 response measures. Adequate preparation can ensure that you sat- You do not want coverage about a con- isfy the public’s need for information, protect firmed workplace illness to portray your or- your employees and stakeholders, avoid legal ganization as unprepared or worse, knocked risks and promote your credibility and orga- back on its heels. Instead, frame the case as nizational values. a statistically probable eventuality that your Please consult with your legal counsel and, leadership identified early and prepared to if necessary, a trained crisis communicator to mitigate. Explain workplace safety and busi- discuss your organization’s COVID-19 media ness continuity measures you have taken. This and crisis PR plans. n messaging may be nearly identical to communications you have released internally and to Aiden Ryan is media relations and content clients, patrons or other stakeholders. chief at Goldberg Segalla. @GoldbergSegalla

MLB Learns to Get in Front of the Story During Astros’ Cheating Scandal By Nicole Schuman and Seth Arenstein

n January 2020, Major League Base- the source added, seemed designed to protect ball found itself entangled in the Crane and his investment. details of a cheating scandal. Unlike the steroids era of the 1990s, where Con- Complexities gress held MLB accountable, we now Several factors complicated this issue. The find the sport policing itself, taking its teams Astros won the World Series in 2017. MLB’s Ito task. investigation showed the team cheated dur- In Nov. 2019, The Athletic reported a for- ing the Series. As such, the report tainted the mer player’s account of the Houston Astros championship. In addition, the Dodgers, the using a video camera during the 2017 season. opposing team in the Series, expressed anger The player, Mike Fiers, said the camera re- about this. corded and helped steal other teams’ signs— Alex Cora, who at the start of 2020 man- manual signals between players on the field to aged the Boston Red Sox, was a coach with strategize actionable plays. the Astros in 2017. Cora became a central fig- In response to an internal investigation, ure of this incident and a second MLB cheat- MLB imposed year-long suspensions of the ing investigation. That investigation covered Astros’ manager and general manager. The the 2018 season, when the Red Sox, under Astros’ owner took one more step, firing both Cora, won the World Series. Calls multiplied men in an attempt to regain trust. for Boston to fire Cora. On first glance, MLB’s quick action seemed Boston Globe sports writer Dan like the right thing to do, PR-wise, to avoid a Shaughnessy sounded like a PR pro in his larger crisis. It’s right to suspend those who column, urging the Sox to get in front of the break rules. But did the punishment make a story. For the sake of the team’s reputation real impact on the game’s relationships with and “dignity,” he said, oust Cora now, before fans, or even tell them the full story? Leaving MLB finishes its investigation of the Sox. questions unanswered rarely makes for good A day later, the Red Sox and Cora an- PR, and the MLB imposing a gag rule for nounced they were “mutually parting ways.” employees did not help. MLB’s investigation exonerated Jim Crane, Accountability Leads to Trust the Astros’ majority owner/chairman. Many Arthur Solomon, a former sports journal- journalists questioned this. “Crane won...he ist, also worked as an SVP/senior counselor at got his championship. He keeps his team. His Burson-Marsteller. Solomon played key roles fine is (minimal). The sport lost, but Crane in managing some of the most significant na- won,” Jeff Passan wrote for ESPN.com, quot- tional and international sports marketing and ing an ownership source. The punishment, non-sports programs.

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Having worked with CEOs and interna- to [discipline players] because virtually all tional leaders, Solomon said team owners are of the Astros’ players had some involvement akin to executives running businesses. or knowledge of the scheme.” The report “Their first responsibility is to make mon- acknowledged it’s impossible to know the ey,” he said. As such, they attempt to cover up degree to which each player was involved. In scandals. Leaks to the media or government addition, many of the players no longer play revelations are the only ways damaging things for the Astros. such as scandals go public, he added. A Hall of Fame-caliber player, Beltrán’s Solomon believed the MLB kept too much situation was sticky. In November 2019, he in-house, risking reputation. became manager of the New York Mets. Dur- “I think the commissioner’s action didn’t ing a press conference announcing his hiring, seem like a complete solution to the prob- the media asked Beltrán about the Astros’ lem,” he said. “When any business investigates cheating scandal. The first-time manager itself, there always is a suspicion of the entire made a PR error. He denied knowledge of truth not being told. Baseball investigated cheating. The Mets have since parted ways itself—its own staff.” What’s happened re- with Beltrán. minded Solomon of similar PR crises where too many people were spared. “Top manage- PR Takeaways ment must be fingered,” he said. A PR takeaway here, of course, is to never lie to the press. Similarly, avoid saying any- Protecting Players thing to the media that you can’t prove. Another part of the scandal included Car- Though PR law usually argues against the los Beltrán, a member of the 2017 Astros. He “no comment” response, Beltrán would have was the sole player mentioned in MLB’s nine- been better off using it. He’d have been justi- page report. It was a short mention. Beltrán fied, too. The commissioner’s investigation “discussed that the team could improve on was ongoing at the time he responded. “I can’t decoding opposing teams’ signs and commu- comment about an ongoing investigation” nicating signs to the batter,” it said. The MLB would have been a much better response than did not discipline Beltrán, now retired. lying, which is what Beltrán did. The report, though, noted, “It is difficult The Mets, whose ownership prides itself on

following rules, truly faced a dilemma. Should The cheating scandal seemed to be rever- the club jettison Beltrán, or allow a tainted berating through baseball. Not a surprise con- individual to lead it? The Mets’ antiquated PR sidering teams were not allowed to comment. approach was to say almost nothing to the So what were teams like the Mets, Dodgers press, unless absolutely necessary. In the end, and Red Sox, forced into the crosshairs, to booting the coach, who was found guilty of do? Solomon provided several best practices. cheating, was the Mets’ ultimate strategy. “[First], I would re-investigate the entire thing with outside investigators.” In addition, he’d release all evidence and transcripts Leaving questions to media that illustrated MLB’s decision. unanswered rarely makes for “[Next], I would hold a lengthy press confer- good PR. ence with the commissioner and team owners. No holds barred.” Surviving the Scandal In other words, the truth just may have set Just moments after releasing its internal Major League Baseball free. n investigation, the MLB placed a gag order on teams commenting on the scandal. In re- Nicole Schuman is content manager at sponse, the Dodgers issued a non-statement PRNEWS. [email protected]. Seth statement, which appeared across various Arenstein is editor at PRNEWS. SArenstein@ social media platforms. accessintel.com

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Finding Your Brand Voice During the COVID-19 Pandemic By Rick Lyke and Beth Egan

s COVID-19 continues to Some good news: Recent research from spread and its economic im- the 4 A’s and GlobalWebIndex confirms that pact grows, entire industries— consumers still want to hear from brands. hospitality, auto manufactur- More than half report they want to know ing, sports and entertainment about brands taking action, such as donating venues—have been brought to a standstill, goods and services, 40% are interested in how Awhile others—from hygiene products and brands are responding to the pandemic and work-from-home tools to e-commerce and 43% are reassured to hear from the brands delivery services—are being stretched thin by they know and trust. demand. Some businesses in hard-hit industries are finding relevance by pivoting to fill The Message a need created by the pandemic. Automakers During a crisis, people’s mindsets matter and tech companies are producing ventila- more than their wants and needs. Messaging tors. Distilleries are producing hand sanitizer. needs to set the right tone and communicate Hospitality groups are providing food and something meaningful in relation to the beds to first responders and raising funds for situation. employee relief. Drawing from historic research and Whether your brand experiences a surge or literature on past pandemics and recessions, decline, as a marketer your challenge is to stay and examining what we have already learned actively engaged with customers and to do so from the coronavirus threat, Syracuse with the right messaging tone. University associate professor Beth Egan partnered with the Mower Insight Group to Striking the Right Tone develop best practices for marketers. Com- History shows that brands that continue piled in a white paper titled How Brands to communicate during a crisis recover more Should Respond During the COVID-19 Crisis, quickly and robustly when it’s over, while go- these best practices address three critical ing silent risks long-term damage. The trick is areas of concern: investing for future brand what to say, and how to say it. health, finding a brand voice that resonates Customers are paying attention to how now and applying spend according to shift- brands are behaving during the pandemic and ing media habits. belief-driven buyers are calling out on social Post 9/11 research from Hofstra and Pace media those perceived to be exploiting the University revealed that consumers reacted situation. It’s critical to strike the right tone positively to three out of four messaging now so that your brand emerges stronger approaches in the wake of the tragedy: im- when the crisis ends. age ads that showed an organization’s human

Best Practices to Help Organizations Determine How Best to Communicate Now: ¨¨ Engage with customers. Focus on rela- ¨¨ Measure what counts. What type of tionship building, gathering feedback and metrics do you have in place for your listening. Customers will remember and marketing campaigns? Are you measur- reward brands that exude compassion and ing activity or accomplishments? Focus caring during difficult times. on your company’s KPIs. You may want to ¨¨ Be social. Consumers mandated to stay consider building an entirely new “recovery home are spending more time on social marketing plan” that considers the new platforms. This gives brands an opportunity realities your business will face and steps to reach more people than in the past. Serv- necessary for success. ing up interesting content with appropriate ¨¨ Hold virtual events. If your trade show tonality means your message will reach more schedule has been sidelined and your of your audience. Deploying humanizing sales meetings canceled, consider hosting messages and operational updates on a an online event. Creating the right content regular cadence is reassuring to key audi- and user experience can open doors while ences. Targeted ads and promoted posts are the world is in shutdown mode. also likely to get more engagement now. ¨¨ Evaluate your website with a critical eye. ¨¨ Evaluate your brand position. What made Use this time to strengthen your online pres- perfect sense before COVID-19 might ap- ence across channels. pear out of touch now. To resonate with your ¨¨ Review media and sponsorship plans. customers during the crisis requires under- As companies cancel media buys and pull standing how they view the world. Consider out of sponsorships, it’s a buyer’s market redirecting budget dollars for canceled trade right now. This presents opportunities that shows and events to market research. did not exist a few weeks ago. ¨¨ Challenge your assumptions. At your next ¨¨ Create compelling content. Tap the sub- strategy or planning meeting, challenge the ject matter experts in your organization who “we’ve always done it that way” point of view have time now to help create content. and cause people to take a fresh look at the ¨¨ Look for the new opportunities. Seismic obvious. This may surface new, more effective shifts are taking place in how and where ways of marketing in a post-COVID-19 world. people work, how they buy services and ¨¨ Focus down the road. Look three to six what they value. Analyze what your com- months ahead at projects on the hori- petitors have in the pipeline and exploit zon and get started now. When business gaps in the category to create a brand returns to some semblance of normal you extension, new product or business that may find yourself overwhelmed by compet- meets consumers’ new priorities. ing deadlines.

face; ads designed to encourage political or Rick Lyke, APR, is executive vice president – community participation; and patriotic ads. managing director at Mower and Beth Egan Only commercial ads—those that exploited (@MadAdProf) is an associate professor at the crisis for commercial gain—sparked an Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of overwhelmingly negative reaction. n Public Communications.

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Communication Proves Critical to Orange County Corrections Pandemic Response By Tracy Zampaglione

unning a jail is a complex opera- tion. Factor in a pandemic and the challenges multiply. Unlike other businesses and organizations, a jail can’t just close. While it’s true that many administrative staff can Rwork from home, the reality is that correctional officers—the ones on the frontlines— don’t have that option. One of the primary tools in the Orange County Corrections coronavirus vault was The Orange County Corrections team received regular communication from the chief of corrections during the communication. The department took a pro- COVID-19 pandemic. active and fully transparent strategy in com- who were self-quarantining. Internal commu- municating with employees, inmates and the nication was a vital part of the crisis man- media amidst the pandemic. agement plan. Again, we wanted to have full Initial Immediate Response transparency every step of the way. At the onset, the chief of corrections began A Physical Presence issuing regular department-wide emails After three correctional officers tested pos- several times a week when there was new itive for the coronavirus, there was panic on information to share. Each new message used the jail compound. The chief of corrections a standard subject line: COVID-19 Update # took a boots-on-the-ground approach and (whatever the number was). personally walked the 76-acre compound— In conjunction, the chief’s office developed quelling rumors and putting minds at ease. recognizable graphics that were included The chief also assembled a crisis-response on each update. These graphics signaled to team with key players from security, opera- employees the importance of the informa- tions and medical staff serving as its core. tion being conveyed. Having this open flow Throughout the crisis, members of this of communication on a frequent basis went a pandemic team participated in standing daily long way in keeping anxiety levels in check. leadership calls every afternoon. One update contained information about Amid the pandemic, the chief was in con- disease prevention best practices and the stant contact with the mayor’s office, provid- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guide- ing information and updates for the thrice- lines. Another provided new figures for the weekly late afternoon press conferences held number of officers who tested positive and every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The

press briefings aired live on Orange TV, the county’s government access TV channel. They were also archived on a dedicated COVID-19 content area of the county’s website.

Opportunities to Share There were bright spots to the crisis. With a county-wide curfew in place from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m., there were far fewer jail bookings and the population declined. The population was at its lowest in almost 20 years. This was a While administrative staff worked remotely, correctional positive message shared with the media. officers had to continue to come to work. It was fully anticipated that the decision to tral Florida’s largest daily newspaper and pro- close the Video Visitation Center would not vided high-resolution photos of the inmates be a popular one. Still, it needed to happen meeting for bible study. to ensure public safety and to comply with In addition to the proactive media out- guidelines from the CDC. reach the department was doing, we were The department used media channels to also fielding calls from everyone from the get ahead of a potential public outcry, com- local media to national news bureaus. They municating that we understood the impor- wanted to know numbers and measures taken tance of contact and support from loved to protect the vulnerable inmate population. ones while incarcerated, but we could not The public information office responded with have a large number of visitors gathering in speed and accuracy. public. And our numbers can be large. Last year, more than 58,000 visits were completed What Lies Ahead? at Video Visitation. Sunday is the busiest Surviving a crisis like COVID-19 is dif- day, and it’s not uncommon for some 250 to ficult and trying. Being prepared and proac- 300 visits on average to occur. That clearly tive makes the process more manageable, and wouldn’t work during COVID-19. paves the way for a successful recovery. To offset the blow, we negotiated with In an instant, the world was forever our phone service provider, and the com- changed and the department—like other pany agreed to provide two free five-minute organizations everywhere—found itself in un- phone calls to all inmates each week during charted waters. After the public health threat the pandemic. Then we gave a shout-out to has abated, communication will continue to the phone provider in our newsletter and on be essential as businesses and agencies navi- social media. gate toward some sense of pre-coronavirus With public access to the jail severely lim- normalcy. Only time will tell if that’s even a ited during the threat of the deadly disease, realistic expectation. n volunteers could no longer visit to provide inmate programming. This prompted a group of inmates in the faith-based dorm to start a Tracy Zampaglione is the public information self-study daily bible group. This inspired a officer for Orange County Corrections in -Or great potential news story: keeping the faith lando, Fla. [email protected] from behind the walls. We pitched it to Cen-

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5 Social Media

3 Tiers of a Social Media Crisis (and How to Manage Each One of Them) By Katie Goodale

t is no secret that the digital landscape Thinking in Tiers has forced public relations practitioners Not all crisis events are created equal—so to completely re-engineer their crisis the content and goal of your response to an communications plans and policies. issue should vary as well. By tiering possible We once had time to collect informa- social media crises before an issue is ever en- tion, craft statements and communicate with countered, your messaging and protocol will Iconstituents before the next news cycle. match the severity and impact of a crisis. In today’s always-on world, if you are not In the moment of a social media crisis, this communicating in real time you’re already too exercise helps social media managers take a late. Reporting now happens in the moment, step back and evaluate the best course of ac- via multiple online channels, by anyone with tion without the burden of emotion and chaos an online audience. Established media contacts clouding their judgment. are no longer information gatekeepers. Instead, the world is talking about your brand whether Tier 1: Multi-Channel you are part of the conversation or not. ■■ What it is: A multi-channel crisis event In this real-time news landscape, it is easy is an unexpected, at-fault situation with to assume that crisis communications in so- a high level of publicity across channels. cial media must be reactionary. Brands often While these events will likely travel be- focus their resources on watching for nega- yond the digital world and into traditional tive comments and stories across their social media outlets, social is a key place where platforms, with the measure of success being updates and messaging should be shared how quickly they can post a canned response and updated frequently. Social platforms to a complaint or potentially harmful story. also provide a window to changes in While speed is key, taking this one-size-fits- public sentiment related to a crisis event, all approach to issues management in social giving social media managers the ability media can fan the flames of major issues and to evaluate if key messages and statements turn minor hiccups into reputation killers. are resonating with their target markets. To break free of one-track crisis manage- ■■ What it looks like: Multi-channel crisis ment on social media, savvy communicators events on social media include posts are looking at social crisis events in terms and conversations related to significant of tiers. By evaluating your brand’s vulner- negative brand events. These include abilities and bucketing in one of three zones, allegations of workplace discrimination, isolated incidents are extinguished before impropriety or violence, product integ- gaining traction and widespread issues are rity issues and recalls, natural disasters or mitigated more quickly. security breaches.

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■■ How to prepare: Multi-channel crisis event. An emerging crisis is small-scale events have the potential to cause signifi- and can likely be managed within your cant damage to your brand’s reputation social channels if spotted early and and bottom line, so creating a robust is- handled quickly. Conversations on social sues management plan with protocols for and posts to your pages are typically how online and offline channels is well worth these crisis events come to light, ver- the effort. Be careful not to file the plan sus an inquiry from an external source. away once complete. This evolving docu- While emerging crises could escalate if ment should be evaluated and updated they attract enough eyeballs, direct com- quarterly and used to run real-time drills munication typically defuses them before for the key internal players on your team. they cause widespread damage. ■■ What it looks like: Customer com- By tiering possible social plaints, service issues and changes to a media crises before an issue brand’s offerings with the potential to is ever encountered, your cause confusion or anger are considered messaging and protocol will emerging crisis events. match the severity and impact ■■ How to prepare: Because service issues of a crisis. make up a large number of emerging crisis events, evaluate your organization’s customer pain points and develop proto- ■■ How to manage: If a multi-channel col and messaging for specific situations. event has reached your social channels, Monitoring social channels is key for the response must be authentic, fast and spotting and addressing emerging events accurate. Statements and key messages before they pick up steam. should be posted within the channels ■■ How to manage: A common brand where the crisis is occurring—not just in mistake is to treat emerging events like a designated area of your website. Ensure widespread crises. While it may feel like that all social channels are consistently 30 complaints about a faulty product monitored and that fan posts and your requires a community-wide post with an responses are logged, especially in the apologetic statement, chances are that early hours and days of the crisis event. mass communication around emerging Because a multi-channel crisis will likely issues will draw more attention than one- garner a high volume of comments, to-one responses. Immediate and per- ensure that all responses are on message sonal issues resolution is the best way to but varied—your authenticity will take prevent an emerging crisis from becom- a hit if your community sees the same ing a multi-channel situation that takes three canned statements used for all fan the narrative out of your hands. and follower responses. Tier 3: Industry-Adjacent Tier 2: Emerging ■■ What it is: An industry-adjacent crisis ■■ What it is: In an emerging crisis event, occurs when a competitor, vendor or your social community is bringing you business partner is embroiled in a social an issue on those platforms first—and it’s media crisis. While it may not appear to up to you to extinguish it before it gains be a problem for your brand, a negative traction and becomes a multi-channel

halo effect could put your company in example, a financial institution entrusted with the (unwanted) spotlight. personal customer data will tier crisis events ■■ What it looks like: Any significant crisis very differently than a baby food producer event that does not begin within your responsible for infant safety and nutrition. organization, but could be connected Get started by brainstorming a list of to you via your business or industry potential crisis events that could impact your relationships. For example, one of your brand on your social platforms. Once your list vendors could take a political stance in is complete, assign them to one of the three a tweet, leading to anger and questions tiers, updating the list quarterly based on from your own fans and followers. activity on your social channels and shifts in ■■ How to prepare: Industry-adjacent consumer mindset. crisis events are dangerous blind spots for brands. Look outside your own Creating a Crisis Prevention Protocol organizational vulnerabilities to identify With a prioritized list of crisis events in potential land mines in your business each tier, you can begin to create messaging relationships. Form alliances with key as- and response protocol for each. While no cri- sociations and industry groups to speed sis can be fully planned for, thinking through communication if an event does occur. how you’d respond to issues is much more ■■ How to manage: As soon as an industry- effective when cooler heads prevail. adjacent crisis begins, start drafting key Prepared posts and messages aren’t effec- messages and posts that distance your or- tive when they aren’t deployed at the right ganization from the issue in the event you time and place, so invest time in training and are approached for comment. Highlight running crisis drills for your social media corporate initiatives, protocols and proof team. Helping them understand the nuances points that will instill confidence in your of each tier can keep major events from gain- brand. Don’t forget to evaluate planned ing steam and seemingly harmless complaints social posts in light of the industry crisis. from blowing up. These are the people on the front lines of a crisis, so ensure that they have Evaluating Your Social Media Crises the right listening tools and support to main- Now that you’re familiar with the three tain a 360-degree view of your brand. tiers of social media crises, it’s time to apply Finally, remember that the issues within them to your own brand. The first step is to your brand’s tiers are fluid. Plan to consistently truly understand your audience and the po- update your list of crisis events based on your litical, economic and cultural landscape that customers’ perspectives on cultural and politi- surrounds them. You can’t prepare messaging cal events. Likewise, an industry-adjacent crisis for every issue your brand may encounter, so could shift the mindset of your target audience, this examination of your customer’s mindset requiring new ways of approaching emerging will focus attention on the crisis events with and critical events for your organization. the potential for the most significant impact. By throwing out a one-size-fits-all approach By evaluating your target audience beyond to crisis management on social media, you can basic demographics and intersecting those protect your brand and keep the focus of your findings with your brand’s role in their lives, digital community on your content. n you can prioritize what crisis events could have the most impact on your business and Katie Goodale is associate director, PR & social your customers’ relationship with you. For media at Hiebing. [email protected].

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A Social Shift in Response to COVID-19 By Audrey Miller

It’s odd to say that you feel lucky during a crisis, but that’s exactly how our social media team felt during the COVID-19 pandemic. I felt unironically #blessed to work at an organization that has access to some of the world’s finest doctors and medical professionals. When our staff had personal or professional questions about the virus, the medical leadership at the American Heart Associa- tion were not only available to share the latest facts, but they could share also perspective and comfort that eased our collective anxiet- ies. That sense of feeling informed, but not overwhelmed, was the same feeling we wanted to give to our social audience.

Keeping it Casual During the pandemic, we shifted our focus to feature a mix of both breaking COVID-19 science and fun messaging that encouraged our community to (virtually) gather together.

Top Tips for Engagement ¨¨ Inform but don’t overwhelm the audi- During the pandemic, the American Heart Association ence with news, facts and figures. created messaging that encouraged its community to Keep it fun too! (virtually) gather together and #MoveMore. ¨¨ Lean on your community when you need help. Volunteers are every- Our primary goal was to reinvigorate our where, especially now. social community in a time when many were ¨¨ Engage with macro- and micro-influencers to help you reach the sweet looking for connection. To do so, we created spot for reach and authenticity. a campaign to encourage everyone to #Move- ¨¨ Utilize actionable content that audi- More together, even while stuck at home. Our ences can use as soon as they see it theory was that social distancing does not to drive strong results. equal social isolation.

At left and above: The organization coupled fun messages with scientific facts to engage with its followers during the pandemic.

living rooms were a little different than our normal setup, our social following was still To do this, we created a content series with actively engaged and hungry for more. graphics and resources encouraging fami- Macro influencers Stephen tWitch Boss lies to get active together. We also launched and Allison Holker also joined the party with a series of live at-home workouts to bring a dance workouts, and we expanded to Insta- virtual community together. gram live streams. tWitch and Allison were We tapped our staff and volunteers and already promoting their “Boss Family work- found a wealth of yoga instructors, Pilates ex- outs” as a way to stay active during quaran- perts and other fitness trainers through per- tine, so the partnership was seamless and sonal connections, all of whom volunteered to embraced a great combination of our mutual host live workouts for free. We began stream- brand strength. ing 30-minute morning and afternoon work- To date these workout sessions drove over out sessions on Youtube and Facebook with 300K views, with over 7k live viewers and our these micro-influencers and saw tremendous followers are growing every day. n response. Each post averaged over 14K views with hundreds of live participants. Audrey Miller is senior manager of digital con- Even though we were not in a studio, and tent and social media at the American Heart the lighting and sound from our volunteers’ Association. [email protected].

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How Walmart Uses Numbers and a Human Touch to Define Social Crises By PRNEWS Editors

ver the last decade, many brands have learned difficult lessons about crisis management, from Uber to Wells Fargo, Chipotle to Equifax. Walmart has experienced a few of its own Osocial media crises, so we were fortunate when Dan Kneeshaw, senior director, global communications, digital strategy & brand engagement, shared the brand’s take on social media crisis prevention and management.

Not If, But When When a brand has 2.3 million employees serving 260 million customers weekly at The Walmart team monitors its social mentions constantly. 12,000 outlets and online properties in 28 Here, the organization provided its stakeholders information on countries, the sheer scale and brand vis- what its response was during the COVID-19 pandemic. ibility poses challenges to reputation on social “that we face on a regular basis.” The brand also classifies the types of issues Facebook and Twitter provide most of it’s confronting, including: state of emergency the issues, Kneeshaw adds. The common (a hurricane or pandemic, for example), element is often visual, since just about ev- offensive items (such as illegal drugs) and eryone has a phone with a camera. As social flashpoint issues (situations where you “drop media has grown, so has the possibility for everything and act,” including discrimination, social media crises. videos of negative customer service or any With so many possibilities for social inci- incident involving a celebrity). dents, the brand monitors social constantly. By the Numbers Defining a Crisis In terms of social conversation, Walmart Walmart’s social response unit is precise considers itself in a viral crisis when it moni- in its definitions. A social media crisis for tors 4,000+ mentions per hour; an emerging Walmart is “any issue or event that has es- trend is defined as 2,000-3,999 mentions per calated to a broad point of public attention hour. signals the “all clear” when no more and poses a direct threat” to Walmart’s brand than 2,000 mentions per hour are tracked. reputation, Kneeshaw says. A tip: To calculate benchmarks for your

brand, monitor mentions over time when so- Takeaways cial conversation is normal and when it’s ab- 1. The possibility of social crisis is rising. Be prepared. normal; set thresholds based on these figures. 2. Don’t wait for a crisis to occur to create a social At the time of our talk with Kneeshaw, response playbook. Walmart used two primary tools: Brand- 3. Abandon corporate-speak in your social responses. watch (for real-time mention alerts) and he says, Walmart emphasizes that the written NewsWhip (which shows which articles are response be posted on the platform where the being shared “on the more private platforms crisis originated. like Facebook,”), allowing Walmart to prepare The brand emphasizes responses be hu- for what’s coming. man. “Forget corporate-speak…be as real as

Responding and Being Human you possibly can” when composing a response For incidents that rise to the level of social or apology statement, Kneeshaw says. crisis, Walmart deploys a cross-functional “When we sit down with legal and other command center, which consists of members departments, we sometimes forget that people of the social media response team and other are at the other end of a statement and that teams as needed, such as legal, marketing, they want to be spoken to as people.” press relations, corporate affairs and HR. Generally, Walmart sends an acknowledge- The brand takes action based on a protocol ment quickly when an incident is occurring; included in its social crisis response playbook. after investigating and gathering information, If you lack a written plan for responding to the team will issue a “sincere apology…if social crises, Kneeshaw says, “Today is the Walmart is at fault.” day to create one.” Trying to cobble together The apology statement should be “hon- a protocol in the middle of a crisis when “all est, transparent and use language that ad- hands are on deck…will not help you.” dresses emotionally-affected individuals.” A In addition to having the correct team tip: Think how you’d communicate with your members involved in social crisis response, family and use similar language. n

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Make TikTok Work for Your Brand During a Global Pandemic By Tuck Ross

hile many industries Why TikTok Now? pulled back on their marketing due to radical changes in the macro- economic environment impacted, there are some industries that Wexploded in growth in the same period. Toilet paper suppliers, for sure. But also streaming media giants like Netflixand Spotify, webinar and video conferencing tools like Zoom, personal devices like iPads, apps for mental wellness and fitness, subscription and delivery services, and many others.

Entertainment in Social Media Based on data from eMarketer, TikTok is Facebook, Twitter and Instagram all saw still in a strong growth phase and is expected record increases in engagement and con- to beat the forecast of 45 million total US us- sumption, but what about the up-and-coming ers in 2020, up to 52 million users just by the TikTok? The new kid on the block is on an end of March. Overall, as social media in- explosive rise as consumers, looking for ways creases, TikTok will drive outsize growth due to entertain themselves, are downloading to the nature of the content on the platform – TikTok at an blistering pace, curious about intentionally creative, engaging, and fun! the buzz. And with 70% of consumers in lockdown But I know, you are probably saying to yourself, “TikTok is for kids; brands and business have no reason to be there.” This TikTok Stats: assumption is a common misconception and ¨¨ 41% of TikTok users are between that may have been true two years ago, when ages 16-24. it was called musical.ly before it was acquired ¨¨ Approximately 50% of the global audience is over the age of 34. by ByteDance. ¨¨ 56% of TikTok users are male . TikTok has grown up. If you do a quick ¨¨ The platform grew 5.5x in 18 months search for hashtags on TikTok, you will be (in the US). surprised to see thousands, perhaps even ¨¨ 90% of TIkTok users visit the plat- millions, of videos tagged to topics related to form more than once per day. your industry, reaching your demographic.

Trends around COVID-19 ¨¨ TikTok launched the #HappyAtHome hashtag in March and it instantly became a trending hashtag, pulling together the common effort (and struggle) of everyone from New York to Los Angeles staying safe by staying at home. With nightly live programming in the TikTok app presented by top influencers and celebrities, TikTok enabled the platform to carry the positive message of safety to over 11 billion views and counting. ¨¨ WHO wanted to promote hand washing (which evidently a lot of people still don’t know how to do properly) with a trending hashtag promotion called #SafeHands. This promotion brought in celebrities and influencers goofing around in their bathrooms while washing their hands for 20 seconds. The simple concept encouraged a high adoption rate, now at 4 billion views as users piled in with their versions, keeping this hashtag trending for weeks. By following the pro tips for building a Tik- ¨¨ The state of Ohio asked Proctor and Tok video, the author created a viral hit. Gamble (P&G) for help in getting the word out about social distancing. P&G worked with its agency to pitch an idea to TikTok, which caught the spending more time on their phones, they are interest of Charli D’Amelio, the most spending so much more time seeking content significant influencer on TikTok with over 50 million followers. She loved when they want to escape or when they are the idea and developed a trending increasingly bored. hashtag and the choreography for Think about it like this: It’s the only time the #DistanceDance. The hashtag trended at the top of the Discover ever that everyone is staying home, cooking page with over 11 billion organic and baking; drinking whatever, whenever; views, with 187 million views on her working from home; dealing with kids out of #DistanceDance video alone – now her most viewed ever. school; getting things delivered; DIY mask- ing; conference calling; trying to stay fit; trying to find toilet paper. Bored. Busy. The incredible amount of communion Back in January, I was watching the news around these same topics breeds creativity to and the international market was starting create escapes for the pain, frustration, men- to get concerned about the spread in China. tal weariness, isolation,and confusion in this Wanting to get a jump on it, I developed a time. Everyone has something in common video making light of the coronavirus name right now. and comparing it to an actual Corona beer

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before this was a running joke. I thought it and general location, you will find value in was hilarious; no one watched it – only 3,000 the Followers tab by looking at Follower Ac- views, 265 likes. tivity (which shows you when your audience My audience wasn’t aware of the interna- is typically in the app and engaging with any tional concern (nor was TikTok in the US). content), Videos Your Followers Watched and The video fell flat. I wanted to figure out how Sounds Your Followers Listened To. These to make my content hit, so I spent time break- metrics showwhat is entertaining your audi- ing down how to pick the trend so my video ence and with what they are engaging most. was better designed to succeed the next time. First, I had to find my audience. What’s Trending Need more ideas? TikTok is built off what is Start with Analytics trending and memes that build over time. When you get a TikTok account, the first Pick a trend and get to it. thing you should do is “go pro.” Turn your In the Discover tab in the app, you can account into a professional account in Man- utilize hashtags to see what’s trending. Watch age Your Account. It’s free, and it gives you a few of the top videos to see what’s working analytics from the day you turn it on. and to get the idea of the trend. Then make In the Analytics section of your TikTok your version of it. Be authentic. Copycat con- account, you will see your recent post per- tent is not ideal, but riff on the original con- formance, as well as what’s trending in your cept and music based on your profile or brand content. Whatever you see working here is persona.What’s your version of the meme? popular with your audience; if you do more That’s what will pop because it will be most videos like these, you will have a pretty high relevant with your audience. You need your chance of success. audience to love it so you can breakthrough In addition to other metrics, like gender to get to the For You page.

Make sure to check your analytics to find out more about your audience.

Pro Tips for Making a TikTok Video: ¨¨ Make a clear preview tile showcasing on the descriptions. Make them smart, and what your video is about. This comes after encourage curiosity and emotion. Ask ques- you make your video, but I put it as the first tions and challenge assumptions. step because it’s the first thing someone will ¨¨ Involve your audience. A pandemic. Stuck see when they visit your profile. You want at home. Everyone sharing common experi- this video impression to draw viewers in. ences. It’s easy to find ways to engage your ¨¨ Start with a hook. Just like any other video audience with shared pain points, frustra- platform, you have a short moment to stop tions and boredom. How are you getting the scroll. Do something at the front of your through this? How is your brand getting video (titles, action, etc) to incentivize some- through this? Find a way to translate that one to watch until the end. into something you can share. ¨¨ Be expressive. Remember, people are here ¨¨ Use fewer hashtags. Lots of people will tell for entertainment and escape. you to use as many hashtags as you can. ¨¨ Create emotion. However you express Instead, think about where you want your yourself, focus on creating an emotional attention and choose the best hashtags for reaction. Humor, suspense and awe all work that audience. to engage. People share things that make ¨¨ Watch all, watch again. Steps 1-8 encour- them laugh. age someone to watch all the way through. ¨¨ End with a twist. A twist at the end is the If you do each of these right, you get the re- reward for the hook at the beginning. Sur- watch – someone trying to learn your dance prises encourage re-watching and shares. or catch that fast caption – which tells the ¨¨ Use thoughtful descriptions. Don’t spend algorithm that your video is important and all this time on a video and shortchange more people need to see it.

Stay Engaged to Go Viral This video popped! 246k organic views, Analytics are a good place to start with a 24.5k likes, 360 comments. It was relevant baseline to develop engaging video. But how due to the timing of the pandemic, on trend do you create amazing videos that pop with for social distancing and relatable especially, views, comments and likes? to an introvert audience looking for connec- In March, I was watching my Analyt- tion. By following the pro tips for building a ics and starting to see COVID-19 content TikTok video and leveraging my analytics, I popping up in the Discover tab. It was now designed my own success. two weeks before quarantine, but the World Brands, businesses, entrepreneurs, real Health Organization (WHO) just told the estate agents, grocerers, gig workers, anyone world that they should begin to practice so- can do the same. As they look at creating cial distancing. content during the COVID-19 window, many After taking a look around other social brands paused or pulled back on their paid platforms, like Instagram and Twitter, I no- media and content marketing, while TikTok ticed that introverts were thrilled by the pros- exploded with new users and new content. pect of having to stay home solo. As a result, Corporations reduced their influencer mar- I put together a celebration video around the keting and paid collaborations while TikTok WHO announcement with a few of the global boomed with celebrity and influencer videos. hashtags around #covid19 and #coronavirus. The opportunity on TikTok is to be authentic,

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create relatable content and grow organically going to be truly transformative for a business – even during a pandemic. that is smart about adding TikTok to its mar- Consumer behavior is changing and atten- keting strategy, even during the pandemic. n tion is shifting, but one thing hasn’t changed: being a human builds relationship. TikTok is the most human social media platform, which Tuck Ross is senior vice president of marketing is why it is seeing truly explosive growth. It’s at Synchrony. [email protected].

Southwest’s Communications Chief Shares Top 3 Social Media Crisis Management Tips By PRNEWS Editors

early half of all organiza- airline industry and beyond in how best to tions make the mistake of not manage a calamity. planning for a crisis, thinking it’s either superstitious or Respond in Real Time somewhat futile. After all, you In the social media age, there isn’t a lot of can’t foresee all of the nuances and dynamics time to get your arms around an issue before Nthat may constitute a crisis. you start grappling with the fallout. But it’s But while each type of situation has its own absolutely necessary to react as quickly as unique aspects, there are incidents—such as your team is able. a data breach—that many organizations can, “We have watched other organizations be and must, prepare for in advance, says Linda slow to respond to incidents, or they’re slow Rutherford, vice president and chief commu- to put a face and a voice to a situation, so nications officer atSouthwest Airlines. speed is something we’ve made as one of our Rutherford should know: Few industries cornerstone tenets,” Rutherford says. are as prone to potential crises as the airline Southwest has been creative in both put- sector, from disgruntled customers posting ting a face to a situation and managing it on social media to accidents and fatalities. quickly. In 2016, the airline experienced a For organizations just beginning to think massive technology outage that lasted four about crisis management, the first step is cataloguing all of the potential pitfalls that could be lurking down the road. Second is preparing what a response to each would look like, she says. But crisis management is an ever-evolving skill, part art and part science. “I don’t know that there’s any organization that handles a crisis perfectly,” says Ruth- erford. “Every time you go through a reputational incident, it’s an opportunity to learn.” Rutherford provides a few lessons learned from the

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days. The blackout caused thousands of flights September/October 1982, when seven people to be cancelled as Southwest lost many basic in Chicago died after taking capsules laced back-end capabilities, such as systems to with poison, as a textbook example of crisis process customers and schedule flight crews; management. even its website was down for the count. “Even though the company wasn’t sure if The organization employedFacebook they had a manufacturing problem or sabo- Live to address the situation, and watched tage, they went for the public good and re- as its audience interacted with the content moved all products from the shelves through- in a much more favorable way than if it had out the entire country,” she points out. “That’s merely issued a statement. a strong tenet: What’s the public good here?” “Words are great, but if you do a quick photo that shows an airport and [offers] in- Cover the Waterfront formation, or if you put a person on Facebook There are many digital avenues to get a Live to give the update, the sentiment scores message out, but one mistake many organiza- change quickly,” she says. “You can watch the tions make when planning responses to po- sentiment move to neutral, or even into posi- tential crises is in leaving one or two of those tive territory when the user can see somebody channels behind. talking to them.” “It can look like a real disconnect if you deal with a crisis on a website but forget to In the digital age, an address it on Instagram, so it looks like busi- organization no longer has ness as usual there,” she says. the luxury of fully digesting an Southwest works in advance with its legal issue before it responds. partners to have statement templates and creative digital assets ready to go, both internally to its employees and externally to the public, in case of a crisis. Beyond creating dark sites, Be Transparent the company learned that logos matter, specif- Tell the truth about what you know, and ically, the colors of a logo. what you don’t know, about a crisis on social. When airline Germanwings had an ac- It sounds simple, but many organizations cident in 2015, it toned down its logo, a lesson don’t follow that rule. Rutherford took in-house. For instance, an organization may not “We have artwork that has been created for understand for hours or days the depth and several different types of situations—if there impact of a cyber-security breach—or why was a significant loss of life, we have options and how it happened—but in the digital age, to go monochromatic and options to go black an organization no longer has the luxury of and white,” she says. fully digesting an issue before it responds. While that’s an extreme example, the les- “You may not fully understand what hap- son is clear: Prepare digital assets for various pened, but it’s an ongoing conversation, so scenarios in advance so they can be deployed tell the truth as much as you can and tell it at a moment’s notice. n quickly,” says Rutherford. “The most important thing is to say what you know when you k n ow it .” Rutherford points to the Tylenol crisis of

How Brands Should Respond to Negative Online Reviews Appropriately By Mark Lange

mazon founder Jeff Bezos once sure your brand responds—correctly, to every compared the immense value review—to avert damage. And paradoxically, of a corporate brand to one’s value can be created. personal reputation. Negative critiques of your business rep- He’s right. Senior executives resent opportunities to improve operations, of successful businesses are very proud of customer experience and brand reputation, if Atheir company’s reputation. They take it very you address them quickly and directly. personally. But here’s where things get hard: Although reputation rests on a company’s val- Do Your Homework ues and actions, your customers increasingly To respond to an online criticism effective- define it. After all, it’s their perceptions that ly, your team should start with the facts. ultimately count—not yours. ■■ Can the customer and his or her history Brand reputation is built on the public’s with your business be identified, or is the critical judgment, pros and cons. And that person anonymous? feedback is coming from every direction, ■■ Could there be a problem with how your posted as comments and star ratings on company sets expectations through cus- review websites that have a big influence on tomer communications? potential customers—similar to social media, ■■ Is there a pattern of similar feedback but with a longer shelf life. from others that suggests an operational As most things are with the internet, issue at play? online review sites are double-edged swords. Depending on your business, this sort of Positive ratings slice through advertising and simple investigation can prove invaluable if SEO clutter to bring new customers and life it uncovers systemic problems such as rude to your enterprise. But credible-sounding personnel, lack of location cleanliness, park- negative reviews can cut the heart out of your ing difficulties or subpar product quality. marketing effort before prospective clients Solve the problem and you can hope- have a chance to learn anything about you fully improve operational effectiveness, raise directly. How should your team handle nega- customer satisfaction, drive brand loyalty and tive reviews? accelerate customer advocacy.

Keep Your Ego in Check Respond Rapidly and Effectively The first step is attitudinal: Get a grip. Fast. The path to an effective resolution is Even the most professional service organiza- straightforward. Regardless of whether the tions sometimes react poorly to negative feed- negative review is true or false, someone from back. Avoid that trap. It’s imperative to make your team should engage the complaining

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that a false review is defamatory and/or vio- Checklist: Responding to a lates the terms of service of the review site, Bad Review you could ask the site to remove the offending ¨¨ Thank the person for taking time to review. Otherwise, Section 230 of the Federal provide feedback. Communications Decency Act shields on- ¨¨ Listen without interrupting while ex- line review publishers from being forced to ploring details of the situation. remove unfavorable reviews posted by users ¨¨ Empathize with the person’s frustra- except in limited circumstances. tions or concerns. Your best option is to focus on soliciting ¨¨ Apologize for not meeting expectations or living up to company stan- reviews from all of your customers, including dards. the satisfied silent majority. ¨¨ Suggest connecting offline if neces- When you increase your volume of honest sary to resolve the issue. reviews, the social web will represent accurately the broad customer satisfaction your company earns daily. customer in an online conversation. Prospective customers or clients are be- Responses must post within 48 hours. Pro- ing presented with star ratings and reviews vide templates that support a personal, polite of your locations all across the internet. Bad and pleasant engagement. Short and to-the- reviews represent an important opportunity point responses are best. to generate value. When you engage custom- Our data show that customers often con- ers, resolve their issues and make operational vert negative reviews to positive ones when improvements, you keep your brand prom- teams respond with genuine concern and help ise—and maintain the kind of reputation that reach a resolution. In addition, other visitors drives business. n to the site will see how conscientiously your business handles customer complaints. Mark Lange is Chief Marketing Officer at Area In the case of a fake negative review posted 1 Security. by a competitor, disgruntled former employee or someone who is clearly off-kilter, it’s fair to consider stronger measures, though they’re not always productive. For example, if you have strong evidence

How to Set Up and Interpret a Social Listening Stream to Head Off Crisis By Daniella Peting

s a public relations practitioner, communication tactics may be perceived as you are aware of the crises that deceptive if applied via social media. With your organization may face and the addition of this communication medium, how to manage each crisis via conversations are now one-to-many and traditional PR tactics; however, one-to-one and require different approaches. those same tactics may intensify or extend the These approaches can be determined by Acrisis if executed via social media. expanding your monitoring capabilities to It’s crucial to understand the components include social listening. of a useful social listening stream and how to Social listening—as defined by Sprout So- use these streams to determine when and how cial—is “the process of tracking conversations to respond to crises via social media. around specific phrases, words or brands, and then leveraging them to discover opportuni- The Importance of Social Listening ties or create content for those audiences.”1 Ten years ago, communications about your The process of social listening is similar to organization were primarily one-to-many, the process used to monitor mentions of your controlled by your PR team. Now these same organization via print, radio or television,

This image illustrates a social listening dashboard.

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An example of how to refine a broad social listening search of a company via a social listening tool.

This image is an example of conversation influencers. The column on the left illustrates the persons who have posted the most about the conversation during a specific period of time. The column on the right illustrates the persons who have the largest share of voice regarding this conversation during a specific period of time. The share of voice is determined by either the audience size or the reach, whichever is greater.

but it is immediate and more comprehensive. you for set up, reporting, messaging and es- According to HootSuite, social listening is calation strategies. If you do not have a social more than “searching for and collecting data media team, then you will need to assume and mentions of your brand, industry and these roles. audience conversations, [it is also the process When selecting a social listening tool, look of] analyzing this information and taking ac- for one that 1) analyzes data and aggregates tion—turning the data you have collected into points of commonality, 2) finds themes with- a viable strategy.”2 out being prompted by keywords, 3) auto- mates the highly labor-intensive aspects of The Components of a Useful Social recording, analyzing, categorizing and visual- Listening Stream izing data and insights, 4) enables leaders to Successful social listening is not a set-it- evaluate the analysis and 5) offers a genuine and-forget-it activity. In fact, it requires many price value. Although free tools are available, resources to be useful: tools to gather and you should invest in a solution like Social analyze social data, people to set up and man- Report or BrandWatch that provide insights age the tools, people to interpret the data and including message frequency, reach, place- communicate the analyses, people to priori- ment and sentiment, poster demographics tize the results and develop strategies based and keyword identification. on the results and people to execute and man- Once you have selected a social listen- age the tactics. ing tool, you will need to set it up. Begin by If you have a social media team, it will as- determining what you want to learn from sume these aforementioned roles and consult your social listening stream. For the purpose

This image illustrates a sudden or large increase in conversations about a brand and/or company via a social listening tool.

of crisis management, I recommend that you cal locations and in all languages, and create start with a broad search of your brand name, notifications for sudden or large frequency in- including all spelling variations of your brand creases. Once your stream starts to aggregate name, in all social networks, in all physi- and analyze data, you can adjust the settings to achieve the results you need.

What Social Media Listening Interpreting the Results and Can Tell You Identifying a Course of Action ¨¨ Who is talking about your brand As your stream gathers information, look ¨¨ What is being said about your brand for sudden or large increases in conversations. ¨¨ When the conversations about your If you notice these, do not respond imme- brand are occurring diately. Instead, monitor the conversation’s ¨¨ Where the conversations about your frequency, reach and influencers, sentiment brand are occurring and keywords. ¨¨ Why the conversations about your brand are occurring If the conversation’s intensity lasts beyond ¨¨ How you will address the conversa- 24 hours, you may have a crisis to manage; tions about your brand however, conversations losing intensity within 24 hours are less likely to be considered cri-

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An example of conversation sentiment. Sentiment may be positive, neutral or negative and is determined by the words used in and the structure of the post.

This image is an example of a conversation map. Some social listening tools create conversation maps based on the frequency of words used in a conversation during a specific period of time.

ses. If you are unsure, consult with your social to revise these statements to reflect the voice media team. They will know if the conversa- and medium to which it is shared. Remember tion has become a crisis. that unlike other forms of communication, If you determine that you indeed have a social media is more emotive and reactive, so crisis to manage, allow your social media it is better to err on the side of caution when team to determine the best manner to re- responding to a crisis via social media. spond to the crisis. As a PR practitioner, you Now that you see the value of incorporat- are trained to get in front of the conversation ing social listening into your crisis manage- by responding with prepared statements that ment plan, schedule a meeting with your so- support your organization’s position and/ cial media team to learn how your teams can or refutes the alleged accusations about your work together better. You both bring unique organization, but this tactic may not be the and valuable skills to your organization that best course of action for social media. Prepare will both be needed in a crisis. n statements for use should the need arise; however, only use these statements if absolutely Daniella Peting is the senior manager of social necessary and allow the social media team media strategy at YPO. @dnpeting

Questions to Determine Whether New or Established Sites Should Be Used in Crisis By Stacey L. Knott

he zombie apocalypse (or pan- timate the value of great content, which demic, environmental disaster, includes not just the well-written post, etc.) has begun and your orga- but compelling photos and videos; these nization is involved. Or maybe take time and thought. you are in charge of a major ■■ Audience: Will your established site’s upcoming event at your company to meet this audiences meet your needs, or do you Tpost-crisis reality. have a different audience for this crisis? If Question: Do you create new social me- creating new sites, where will the audi- dia sites for those events, or do you use your ence come from? In a crisis moment, you established sites? will need to decide if you should work Chances are you have a bevy of co-workers to build a whole new audience for new and bosses with their own opinions, but as sites (e.g., individuals affected by the the social media administrator, how do you crisis) or continue communicating with decide, and how do you explain or defend the audience you already have on your your choice? established sites. ■■ Communication Objectives: Consider Consider Carefully whether creating a social media account Before running off to create microsites fits your communication objectives. to address the zombie problem, you need to Remember, even if you have a communi- carefully consider the best options. Here a few cation plan to help guide you during the important strategic items to keep in mind: event, you may need to reevaluate that ■■ Time: Although it does not take long to direction and course-correct. create new social media posts or ac- Once you begin to consider the strategic counts, it does take a few minutes to and logistical management of your social me- create your profile with the proper bio, dia sites, you will need to ask yourself more profile pictures and contact information. tactical, in-depth questions. More importantly, it takes time to monitor those new sites. If you create sites, In-Depth Questions you will need to create bandwidth to These questions are not all-inclusive; they maintain both your established sites and are meant to aid your decision-making. new ones. ■■ Who is your audience? Is your audience ■■ Content: Where will the content come internal? Does your audience include from for these channels? What about the general public and the media? Your content for your previously established audience may include people from each social media channels? Never underes- of these groups. The smaller and more

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focused your audience is, the more likely streamline communication. If so, social it is that you can use your previously media administrators should consider established social media sites. Hopefully, the JIC the lead for the event, which may that small, focused audience is already already have created sites or be in the following your content. If the audience is process of creating sites. Duplicating sites varied, then mark your audience as one will not help with communication. Ad- variable for creating new channels. ditionally, a JIC helps portray a cohesive ■■ Will the audience be one-time visitors and coordinated response. or return multiple times? When your ■■ Will a separate website or page be cre- audience visits your social media sites, ated for this event? If an event does not will they get everything they need in a warrant creating an additional website, single visit, or will they return multiple why does it need its own social media times for information? If the information sites? And even if you create a separate on the site will only be used once by the web page for this event, you may still not audience, more than likely they will not need separate social media sites. return to your site. Perhaps a new chan- ■■ Will this be a long-term event? Al- nel is not necessary. though this can be difficult to determine ■■ Is this a local, statewide, regional or initially, a short-term event may not need national crisis? This question is the a new site, whereas long-term events do geographic location of the event, not the need them. For example, if your com- level of interest, which could be much pany is holding a one-night charity event larger. For example, if an event occurs for disaster relief, then perhaps a micro- at a military installation, then the social site in your web domain with targeted media sites at the installation may be messaging on your established social best. But if an event covers a larger area media sites is exactly right. But if the such as a state or region, then an existing event is a long-term, ongoing initiative, site may not cover the need, especially if then new sites may be needed. there are multiple organizations involved. ■■ What is the scope of this event? Does it ■■ Are you the lead organization for this affect a large group of people, property or event? Or are you a subgroup? When the the environment? During a crisis, these government responds to an event, there are usually people’s main concerns. For is always a primary organization put into example, during the Deepwater Horizon the lead role, which coordinates every oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, facet of the response. If you are dealing people were concerned about the effects with a large event that concerns multiple of the oil on the water, wildlife and sea organizations, there is possibly a lead or- life. Fishermen and the tourism industry ganization or a committee overseeing the in the area were concerned about how it event. Consider checking with the lead would affect their livelihoods. Addition- organization or committee before creat- ally, the spill affected a huge geographic ing any new social media accounts. area, since every state along the U.S. Gulf ■■ Is there a joint information center (JIC) Coast was affected. This was an event established for this event? If the event with a huge scope in terms of time, audi- is for a crisis or disaster, the government ence, geography and more. The JIC for may establish a JIC to coordinate and the response created a separate website

■■Use Established Sites: After working through the above questions, you determine you will use your organization’s established social media pages. You can view the event as an opportunity to build your long- term audience and reputation. During the process, remember to measure and evaluate whether those sites are meeting your organization’s needs. ■■Create New Accounts: In the event you have determined that you need to create social media accounts specifically for the crisis, ensure you have timely, accurate and quality content. Find your new audience by using all available resources. On your established sites, share links to your new channels and recommend your audience go there for specific information. If you are the lead for the event or working with other partners, ask them to share the links for the and social media sites. Your large scope new sites on their organizations’ event may need new social media sites sites. Add the links to the new social created too. media sites to your website, press releases and other products. Your Options Ultimately, every situation is unique and ■■ Defer: It turns out the zombie apoca- the options and results will vary, but trust lypse is huge and never-ending, and the your training, trust your communication government has set up a JIC with a lead guidance and trust your instincts. n agency. Defer to the JIC for social media guidance. Or contact the JIC and ask to participate. You can also use your organi- Stacey L. Knott is deputy chief of strategic zation’s sites to share the agency’s mes- outreach, North American Aerospace Defense saging with your audiences. Also consid- Command and U.S. Northern Command Pub- er posting a link on your organization’s lic Affairs. [email protected]. sites back to the event or crisis social media sites to help show your audience the best sources for information.

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How PR Pros Combat the Growing Threat of Weaponized Social Media By Richard Levick

he weaponization of social media selves. The methods required to detect, re- played a critical, albeit insidious, spond to and mitigate these attacks via social role in the 2016 U.S. presidential platforms require a rethinking of PR strat- election, particularly as the race egy-cum-crisis communications, especially came to a close. among publicly traded and global companies. Take the now-famous BuzzFeed analysis To bolster their value in the eyes of the C- Tshowing that in the final three months of the suite, PR pros must be proactive. campaign, the top-performing fake election Losses linked to reputational damage at news stories on Facebook generated more publicly traded companies grew 461% from engagement than the top stories from major 2011 to 2016, according to a 2016 study, with news outlets. a large spike in anger among the general Fake news continues to steal all the head- public and the weaponization of social media lines, of course. But it’s just one way social the primary culprits. The study, which was media is being weaponized. Botnets, high- released by Steel City Re and Hanover Stone frequency automated messaging saturation Partners, is based on an analysis of reputa- and similar tools are being deployed to spread tional-related losses for roughly 7,500 compa- false and fraudulent information via social nies covering the past five years. platforms. Social channels are the main de- It’s an unsettling chain of events. When positories for bogus information because it’s social media channels started to emerge in where most people get their news and infor- the early 2000s, the narrative was that they mation these days, and ill-inspired campaigns would improve understanding throughout the will garner the most traction. business landscape and break down barriers between companies and consumer/social ac- The various tools used to tivists. But, more than a decade later, it hasn’t spread misinformation… exactly turned out that way. are encroaching on the These days the pressing questions for corporate sector—and senior senior communicators are not so much how communicators need to brace brands can use social media channels as a themselves. charm offensive but, rather, how to defend their companies against increasingly vitupera- tive and nasty attacks on social. The various tools used to spread misin- As social channels become more powerful, formation throughout the political arena are PR pros need to develop and steer the best encroaching on the corporate sector—and practices required to prevent and mitigate senior communicators need to brace them- attacks via social platforms. They also need

social channels are inexorably moving to the core of their marketing communications activities, knowing the granular details of each specific social channel is mission-critical. Second, PR pros have to stay abreast of the regulatory landscape, both at home and abroad. When defending your brand against a possible attack you don’t want to expose the company to accusations of having a double standard. Hewing to regulations doesn’t necessarily mean you can’t fight fire with fire. But the way in which you respond must be above board and transparent (you also need to be cognizant of the message your response sends to the marketplace). Losses linked to reputational damage at publicly traded companies You must make sure your commu- grew precipitously during the past five years. nications via social channels adhere to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish the guardrails to protect brand rules for the U.S. and European Union (EU) reputation and ensure that such attacks don’t regs for European-based operations. At the devolve into severe crises. same time, there are many countries in which Indeed, whether it’s from a sitting presi- FTC and/or EU regs don’t apply. dent or an irate individual with a modem That’s why it’s important that communi- who will stop at nothing to attack a brand or cators exercise caution when considering organization (even for making honest mis- the origins of an attack via social media. PR takes), PR managers must be able to confront pros are paid to know the difference between myriad parties that are using social channels someone who’s simply angry with your prod- as the online equivalent of precision-guided uct and has a legitimate gripe and a concerted missiles. With that in mind, here’s a strate- attack by a false online identity created by an gic blueprint for how senior communica- individual or group to push a specific agenda. tors navigate what remains uncharted social media terrain. Constantly Assess Potential Threats Know the Rules of the Road (and the Communicators need to constantly track Regulatory Landscape) threat assessment via social media platforms. The coming communications crises was There are two sets of rules communica- always foreseeable with a close and constant tors must follow when it comes to developing reading of the digital tea leaves. Remember, a defense against weaponized social media. companies advertise, critics and activists First, communicators must understand the organize. Your adversaries need to leave their terms, services and conditions of the various footprints to find allies. Communicators also social platforms. For global companies whose must learn about the trends in hashtags used

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by critics; NGO fundraising and communica- media channels uncover among users and, in tions strategies; who Change.org or #Graby- the event of an attack, they’ll know whom to ourwallet are listing; and what videos are speak to in order to get the issue resolved as trending. Such tracking gives communicators quickly as possible. a clearer window into what’s next and what they may need to anticipate. If you track suc- Know Them Before You Need Them cessfully enough, you can modify behavior, Another effective tool to combat social negotiate or counterattack, as the opportunity media attacks is to develop audiences and dictates, without being caught off guard. influencers now, during peacetime, so when the company is attacked, various stakeholders Contain the Engagement can act on the company’s behalf and dismiss In the event of an attack, it’s usually crucial the fake news and/or negative chatter. to keep the exchange strictly to the platform This area of defense is not to be underesti- on which it happened. If your brand or orga- mated among communicators. A third-party nization gets attacked via Facebook, it does player, with a large number of followers and a you no good to open up your defense strategy solid reputation, may be able to share miti- to, say, your Twitter followers. You want to gating technologies regarding an attack. In a isolate the audience that’s been exposed to similar vein, you need to cultivate influenc- the attack and not let the issue seep into other ers in-house. By keeping them abreast of the channels. However, if the attack toggles from challenges presented by weaponized social one social platform to another it’s a strong media, employees can serve as a bulwark indication that it’s probably a coordinated, against social media attacks. What is more, by well-funded and sustained attack and you’ll having employees share in the defense, you’re have to respond accordingly. improving brand affinity among employees, There are also exceptions to this rule that which is crucial for employee retention and are well worth noting. Nordstrom didn’t encouraging esprit de corps. respond to President Trump’s criticism via In the topsy-turvy world of online commu- Twitter, but on other platforms. The rule here nications, it’s probably not a matter of if your is, if there is already enough attention on the brand will be attacked via social channels, but issue a cross-platform response may be just when. If it hasn’t happened already, don’t lull what the doctor ordered. yourself or the company into a false sense of security. Possessing an “it can’t happen here” Cultivate Relationships With Social mentality is bound to make matters worse Channels Beyond Sales once you come under attack. If you don’t have Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are scram- the proper protocols in place now—during bling to develop new policies designed to peacetime—to respond effectively and miti- cut down on fake news appearing on their gate damage to your brand and your stake- platforms. Nonetheless, the onus remains holders, it’s not going to get any easier once on communicators to develop and nurture the warheads start landing. n relationships with senior executives from all social channels, including technical support Richard Levick, Esq., is chairman and CEO of and content teams. By having a strong rela- LEVICK. @richardlevick tionship with these skill sets, communicators can learn about the “dirty tricks” that social

Everything You Need To Know About Livestreams During COVID-19 By Amelia Oliver

OVID-19 created, almost overnight, a shift in the way we create and consume content. The paradox for PR, marketing and other communications professionals is having to calibrate to the increased Cappetite for content, alongside a new set of limitations for doing so.

Enter the rise of live video streams. Facebook and Instagram algorithms have favored live experiences for some time now, which exploded as stay-at-home orders became commonplace. The ease of which users are able to livestream from their homes, coupled with the need for brands and businesses to stay connected with their consumers, made live video content one of the most popular platform choices of the COVID-19 era. With such a mad dash to stay connected, and so many brands, businesse, and celebrities going live, it’s important to know how to push past the clutter to engage your audience. Green Buzz Agency has been producing weekly livestream videos for a number of its clients, including Stand Together. In the wake of the global pandemic, Stand Together #GiveTogetherNow livestream produced by Green Buzz launched its #GiveTogetherNow campaign Agency featuring host Dhani Jones and Academy Award- and approached Green Buzz to expand the Winning Director, Jimmy Chin. reach of the campaign through a series of Instagram Live videos. case of Stand Together, Green Buzz wanted to leverage its roster of celebrities to create Getting Started casual conversations that would organically As with any campaign, tying a unique hit the major themes of the campaign. value proposition to campaign goals is going To ensure core campaign messaging was to make the livestream most successful. In the woven into the conversation, we included a

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host to steer the dialogue. Whether or not larger viewership. If your brand doesn’t have a you have a consistent host, it’s important to large social following, explore partnership op- have a point-person drive the conversation portunities with public figures, content creators in your livestream to draw out campaign arcs and interesting brands. Everyone is looking and ensure you stay within your time limit. to feed the appetite of an active audience and It’s also recommended to have a private and create something of value during this uncertain direct line of communication with your host period. You may be surprised by what you can so that you and your team can direct remotely create when exploring these new avenues. and navigate any potential hiccups. It’s also important to be mindful of your Repurposing the Content viewers and how they are going to experi- There are a number of ways you can re- ence your content. Livestreams are inherently purpose your live content. Each week, Green made to be temporary, interactive and of low Buzz Agency produces 2-3 Instagram Live production value. You don’t want to use this episodes for Stand Together. format if, for example, your concept requires Within 24 hours of going live, we’re able to 4K video or lots of replays. create a full-length episode with light graph- Livestreams are built for user engagement ics and small edits, which uphold the authen- and interaction, so this format is ideal for ticity of the original premiere. Once the full vibrant conversations and tutorials, as well as episode is created, we redistribute it across all driving awareness to particular issues, as with social channels to continue drawing in new the #GiveTogetherNow campaign. audiences and allow viewers to keep replaying and interacting with the content. Preparing to Go Live The team also creates :30 episode cuts, The raw, interactive nature of a livestream which are also cross-posted and provided makes it different from any other type of to our host and guests to post to their social social content. As you get ready to go live, networks. With preparation and post-produc- prepare for the elements of your audience tion, a single livestream can allow you to tap you can’t control, such as when they drop in into new audiences well after your premier and out of your segment. Remember, it takes and keep the content flowing. time for your audience to log on, so the clock Ultimately, we’re in the midst of a rare cul- doesn’t really start the second you go live. tural moment where we’re all enduring similar Treat the first 10 minutes as a warm-up and challenges, making the connective ability of a allow your guests to chat with each other or livestream so powerful. Audiences are engaging with the live audience. most with content that reflects creativity, posi- Our recommended runtime for a tivity, development and fun diversions. People livestream is between 45 and 60 minutes. are thankful for vulnerability and transparency Shorter, 20-30 minute segments can also be during so much uncertainty. Let your content successful, but remember the opening buffer reflect the ways our world has become more in- you want to leave before getting to the heart formal, and lean into the raw human moments of your conversation. for an open conversation over a livestream. n Keep in mind that your audience will also be able to see how many other viewers are tuned Amelia Oliver is a marketing strategist at in. In the case of Stand Together, we leveraged Green Buzz Agency, a Washington, D.C.-based its roster of well-known figures to draw in a video production agency.

How Large and Small Brands Monitor to Prepare for Social Media Crises By Phil Watson

reparing your company for a so- but crisis preparedness. Should conversations cial media crisis has one recurrent about your company heat up in a negative way, theme: speed. In the past when a you likely will be tagged in a mention or tweet. crisis occurred, you usually had Scans for incoming engagements should be one day, or at least a few hours, to conducted several times daily for owned so- prepare. Today, you may have mere minutes. cial media channels. For large companies, the PDamaging news may be circulating before volume of incoming engagements necessitates you’re even aware of it. staff monitoring channels into the evening While social media’s speed is a challenge, hours and on weekends. Staffing should be there are steps brands can take to be ready. scaled to your company’s average volume on The first is simply identifying potential prob- owned channels. lems. Social media listening and analysis can be a canary in the coal mine for PR. When Non-Owned Social Media you learn of a critical issue early, you can pre- Now for the hard part: non-owned social pare for a more favorable outcome. media. It’s a virtual jungle of disjointed conversations that defy easy monitoring. These Monitoring on Owned Social Media conversations may take place on Twitter or To understand social media monitoring for Facebook and not include your company’s a crisis, it’s necessary to differentiate between official name. They may appear on Reddit, owned and non-owned social media. Owned 4Chan, blogs, comment sections under ar- social media includes your company’s Face- ticles, special interest forums and more. There book, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Snapchat are no notifications when your company is and Instagram accounts. When someone en- mentioned in these places. gages with you on these accounts, you receive Since your company could be talked about a notification. in countless blogs, message boards, forums There are many case studies wherein social and other networks, there’s no way to cast a net media crises caught organizations off guard. that catches all of those unstructured mentions Often these companies didn’t respond quickly, in a coherent way. There is a host of free tools, or at all, and paid a steep reputational price. though, and Google Alerts is among the most Monitoring owned social media can be useful. There also are plenty of paid tools that done via native platforms or third-party re- track and analyze social media data. sponse tools. There are plenty available at vary- Paid social media listening tools are neces- ing prices. Small and large companies should sary for a large company with high volumes procedurally require daily channel monitoring. of conversation. Popular brands average well This is critical not only for customer service, more than a million social media mentions

monthly. Fortunately, listening tools can analyze large amounts of social media data. Most Do You Have a Social also have alert systems that scan keywords Media Crisis? and inform you as soon as the tool’s web If “yes” is the answer to any of the below, crawlers find them. Some tools also detect it’s probably worth consulting your crisis algorithmic changes and alert you to signals team. that something unusual is happening with ¨¨ Could this cause long-term harm to conversations about your brand. our reputation? Influencer identification is another key to ¨¨ Could this have a negative financial catching social media crisis early. Your com- impact on the company? ¨¨ Could this harm employee morale or pany may be mentioned every few seconds recruiting efforts? on social media; you can’t keep up with each ¨¨ Could this result in legal issues? mention. But if someone who has an unusu- ¨¨ Are there environmental, health or ally large following mentions your company, safety concerns stemming from this you’ll want to know right away. post? A key part of monitoring for crisis is no- Is someone with a high level of influence saying negative things about us? tification as soon as a famous or influential person mentions the company. Most listening tools are capable of providing an immediate alert so you can decide quickly whether to team. Be careful not to cry wolf. If your crisis engage with the influencer. team is receiving calls every few days and the crises don’t materialize, the importance of Monitoring Competitors and social media crisis monitoring will be dimin- Customers ished in your organization. Situations may occur outside of social me- You may have minutes or days before a dia monitoring alerts. When setting up your social media crisis breaks. For example, if you listening, be mindful of influential voices in know there is a product recall or other nega- your industry. Do you have customers with a tive company news that will be announced, high level of influence? They may be holding you have time to prepare. Whether you have conversations not directly about you, but are three days or three hours to prepare, there are relevant to you. The same goes for competi- similar steps that should be taken. tors. A competitor may get dragged into a ■■ Black out your social media. This situation that your company can use as an means no publishing of unrelated con- early warning. tent for the duration of the crisis. When a company is in the midst of a storm of It’s a Crisis. Now What? negative conversation, publishing prod- Once you’ve set up an effective monitor- uct-related content gives the public an ing program, you’ll likely go through growing impression of an unorganized and tone- pains identifying what is and what is not a deaf organization. crisis. As you fine-tune your listening param- ■■ Prepare your responses. In a crisis you eters, learn to filter out irrelevant noise. likely will have many people engaging Brands should have a crisis plan that in- with your social media channels. Create cludes protocols about who is alerted. Gener- a list of questions/comments you will ally, this includes your organization’s crisis most likely receive and prepare respons-

es. Have the planned responses approved After the Storm so you can avoid losing time to the ap- Eventually the social media conversation provals process during the crisis. about your crisis will subside and you can ■■ Extend responding capabilities. For return to normal social media operations. some companies, this means 24-hour While there is no standard time to wait until coverage of social media channels. If resuming normal posts, it’s worth noting you’re a large, consumer-facing brand that when United Airlines faced its well- and your crisis is related to product documented crisis in 2017, it stopped pub- safety, you will likely see a high volume lishing non-crisis-related content on Twitter of engagement from concerned consum- for nearly one month. Similarly, it’s important ers. With extended coverage, your team to establish and communicate a date when can quickly answer most concerns with the crisis is over officially and social content pre-approved responses. publication can resume. ■■ Measure your crisis. It’s easy in the fog Within one week of the crisis, while it’s still of a crisis to forget about measurement, fresh, create a report that visually shows the but it’s a critical component. Measuring impact on social media. This will help your engagement volume, sentiment and demographics of those engaging and times organization better understand social media. of posts will help in benchmarking for It also will help you benchmark for the next n your next crisis. Also, measure the most time your company faces a crisis. influential people talking about the crisis. This data can tell the story of the crisis from a unique vantage point and forecast Phil Watson is director, consumer public relations when it will subside. for BFGoodrich/Michelin North America.

6 Case Studies

Crisis Plan Internal Communications

Pandemic Propels New Jersey School Districts into Action By Lori Perlow

n many parts of the country, the month Feed the Children of February yields sleepless nights As remote learning plans were being for school district leaders who spend implemented, so too were plans for distribut- hours monitoring potential winter ing free and reduced-price meals to students. storms that can lead to school closures. Concerned citizens all over the country The decision to close schools during or after questioned how schools would continue to Ia winter storm is agonizing for superinten- #FeedTheChildren during a pandemic. For dents and chief school administrators who are some young people, school meals are the only frequently criticized publicly through social consistent meals they can rely on each day. media and other channel for their decisions. School leaders are keenly aware that food In February 2020, our entire country was insecurity carries a stigma. To circumvent monitoring a very different kind of public this, the Burlington Township School District health storm. arranged distribution sites at 10 strategic As news of COVID-19 from around the locations in order to ensure that students had world began to hit the United States, school access to meals throughout the community. district leaders looked toward their county, When meals weren’t being picked up state and national leaders in education and during the first week, the district responded public health for guidance. By early March, promptly by translating their communica- it was clear that widespread school closures tions into additional languages. In some were imminent. instances, school resource officers delivered With an initial two-week closure ordered meals directly to families who were unable to by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, brick physically pick-up meals due to barriers like and mortar schools transformed into virtual lack of transportation. learning environments in a matter of days. TheSayreville Public School District took Schools are the core of every community an even more proactive approach by sending and they provide more than reading, writ- bus loads of meals and household supplies, ing and arithmetic lessons to students; they including paper towels and toilet paper, into provide sustenance and critical public health the communities they serve. Families placed information. With a subsequent multi-week their meal and supply orders via a Google closure in place, educational leaders and form, available in both English and Spanish, teachers were forced to pivot. No amount of on the district’s website. remote learning can ever replace the human Bus drivers that normally shuttle students connections that take place in classrooms to and from school were transformed into each day. frontline workers, bridging a critical gap in the food supply chain. Twice weekly, the

buses unloaded their supplies at nearly 30 to maintain the flow of information while designated bus stops within the borough’s 18 simultaneously preparing to shift to remote square miles. learning. In Wayne Township, the school Estimated arrival times were shared in district created an information hub on its advance, and updates were communicated on website. The hub contained everything from social media to ensure that recipients were at public health information and links to the the bus stops. On average, volunteers pre- Centers for Disease Control and Preven- pared and delivered 3,000 meals per week. tion (CDC), FAQs for parents and wellness resources for all. Takeaway: Dig into the data and move In any crisis, parents and staff often look to mountains when you’re not seeing their schools for guidance, as there’s an inher- results from a critical effort. ent trust factor. The website was continually enhanced with new tabs and information for Feeding the Frontline users who may be overwhelmed with news In Ramsey, the school district became an and social media. integral link between local food establish- Takeaway: Be the source for distilled ments and frontline healthcare workers. facts to help your stakeholders with ex- “Ramsey Strong,” a parent-led initiative, actly what they need to know. Promise raised money to purchase meals from local to update as soon as new information establishments and deliver them to healthcare becomes available. workers at hospitals in Bergen County. Located in the northeast corner of New Continuity of Learning Jersey, Bergen County had the highest num- In the Linden Public School District, ber of positive COVID-19 cases and deaths where more than half of the students are (as of April 20, 2020) in the state. In collabo- economically disadvantaged, every student ration with Superintendent Matthew Murphy, receives a district-issued laptop or tablet. volunteers leveraged district communication When virtual learning became a reality for all channels, including the website, email lists New Jersey students, key messaging to par- and social media platforms, to solicit dona- ents and the media underscored the existing tions for Ramsey Strong. Over a period of technological proficiency. three weeks, more than $70,000 was raised to For middle school and high school stu- feed critical healthcare workers while boost- dents who maintain possession of their ing the local economy. devices, there was minimal disruption with the shift to remote learning. However, el- Takeaway: In times of crisis, it’s worth ementary students weren’t accustomed to extending your boundaries for the taking their tablets home. During the second greater good of the community. week of remote learning, a tablet distribution process took place so elementary students Distribution of Public Health Info could remain connected. The District used As with any crisis, consistent key messag- direct email, automated phone calls and ing in important. With COVID-19, informa- social media to inform parents about the time tion changed rapidly, sometimes hourly, and and place for tablet distribution. As a result, it was increasing difficult for school districts nearly every student received a tablet.

A secondary concern was that some stu- In the Warren Township School District, dents did not have internet access at home. Superintendent Matthew Mingle addressed To address this, information about Comcast’s this inequality immediately with staff, par- program for free internet was publicized. ents and students. Every Friday, a check-in Links were posted on the district website, on survey was sent to parents via email. The data social media channels and through direct was reviewed internally, and modifications email. These communications were sent in were made to the flexible instruction plan English, Spanish, Polish, and Haitian Creole. when needed. The summary data was also In rural communities like Waterford shared externally via a community briefing Township, where devices aren’t accessible to in print and video formats. These briefings all, students were sent home with packets also included useful resources for flexible prior to the first closure. Parents were noti- instruction as well as informational updates. fied by email and through social media that To assist school district employees who may packets could also be picked up at the local also be struggling, a daily check-in survey was Post Office, as it would remain open during sent by email. Responses provided the ad- the pandemic. When subsequent extended ministration an opportunity to support their closures were ordered, Waterford utilized its colleagues in a direct and meaningful way. n buses to deliver new packets to students at their homes. Takeaway: In good times and in bad, we must take care of our employees and our Takeaway: Recognize and remove as customers. In education, the customers many obstacles as you can to increase are young people who rely on the staff. access to your service. In the short-term, This is a win-win. the extra steps taken will provide needed reassurance for stakeholders that you’re Takeaway: If you plan to send a survey aware of the obstacles and it will inevita- to a key stakeholder group, be prepared bly build trust over the long-term. to share the results and take appropriate action to improve or modify whatever A Mindful Approach to Remote you asked about in the first place. Learning As school districts across the country Lori Perlow is the communications manager rolled out their remote learning plans, it at the Camden County Educational Services became clear that remote teaching and learn- Commission and president of the New Jersey ing were strikingly different than traditional School Public Relations Association. lperlow@ teaching and learning in a classroom. camdenesc.org

Crisis Plan Media Relations

How Lessons from a Prison Break Can Help You Navigate Complex Crises By Jeff Hallock

hen the persistent ring were part of a sworn (Lieutenant) position. of a cell phone pulls you In a crisis, a well-organized team approach from sleep, it’s never works best, and in our case, we already had good news. In law en- the basic structure in place. forcement, however, it’s Even if your organization doesn’t have a unfortunately not so unusual. Public Affairs team, take some time to desig- WThe kinds of things a law enforcement nate people who can step into various roles public information officer (PIO) might -re should a major incident strike. spond to don’t pay mind to traditional busi- In a large-scale event, fielding and re- ness hours. Any one of homicide, shooting or sponding to media inquiries can be over- a horrific fatal crash might warrant a middle- whelming and difficult to manage. In a crisis, of-the-night call to the PIO. immediately let the media know you will be Then there are the not-so-everyday events providing updates with new information at that test the fortitude of your organization’s designated times. This ensures your messag- communications plan and strategies. These ing is delivered consistently and fairly across are the crises. media platforms. It also allows your commu- Defining a crisis means different things for nications team time between updates to focus different organizations, but a well-thought- on strategy and next steps without a steady out approach to navigating the complexities flow of interruptions. of handling then extends across industries. Our crisis was unique in that we needed Once a crisis is determined, it’s critical to public and media assistance to help us resolve immediately put a plan in motion: Delegate it. These inmates were on the run, and inves- roles, prepare your organization’s leader and tigators had little information. We needed our commit to a consistent and thorough media community and press to be alert and aware of outreach strategy. Designate a spokesperson, the situation. We needed the information to a government liaison, a scribe and a social be disseminated in as widespread a manner media monitor. as possible, and we needed to leverage media For the Orange County Sheriff’s Depart- coverage to ensure our message was consis- ment, crisis struck on Jan 22, 2016. Three tently broadcast both locally and nationally. inmates had escaped from the Central Men’s We needed to bring the escapees back quickly. Jail—two men were in custody for attempted This dynamic posed the added challenge of murder and another locked up for kidnapping ensuring every media briefing revealed fresh and and torture. The Public Affairs Office- con newsworthy information. In some cases, this sisted of three executive aides and one public meant withholding details we may have learned information officer. The PIO responsibilities in the morning for the afternoon briefing in an

attempt to guarantee media coverage later in the day. We called this a calculated release of infor- 6 Damage-Control Actions mation, and it was imperative for engagement. to Undertake ¨¨ “Load the gun:” Plan ahead of time Position Your Team for a worst-case scenario situation While the spokesperson or PIO will serve for your organization. Decide what a as the face of your organization in such an crisis might look like and put a plan on paper for how to handle it. incident, it is important to position your ¨¨ Designate roles: Decide who leader to deliver the most impactful messages. will play what role in a large-scale During the escape, we wanted Sheriff Hutch- incident. Delegate a spokesperson, ens to be the one to deliver the news that the government relations liaison, social media monitor and scribe. inmates had been captured and returned to ¨¨ Media strategy: Designate select our facility. times to keep the media informed Our strategy: The PIO would deliver the during a crisis and stick to releasing bad news and the Sheriff would come in her- information only on that schedule. alding the good. ¨¨ Leader out front: Position the leader of your organization at the forefront Upon realizing this incident would likely of the crisis. span beyond a couple of days, our team rec- ¨¨ Monitor social media: Designate ognized the importance of getting the sheriff one person to scan and filter all social in front of the community. She delivered media content, looking for important information and responding to inquiries. a powerful message on Day 2, and vowed ¨¨ Write it down: Tap one person to the escapees would be found and returned keep a log of how and when informa- to prison. When crisis strikes, putting your tion was released to the public. leader at the forefront sets a tone of reassurance and control of the situation. Often times, in major incidents, your Come Prepared leader won’t be the only one who wants to True crises are rarely a one-day affair. They comment publicly on the matter. Elected are complex and drawn out—sometimes last- officials often will also want to make a state- ing days or weeks. In many cases, significant ment or hold a press briefing to address their events will continue to be reported on, or at constituents. It is important that the officials least casually referenced in, the media for and your organization are on the same page years to come. so key messaging remains consistent. As days pass, press conferences meld to- Tap someone to be the conduit between gether and what was said at Monday’s strategy your organization and government officials. planning session becomes a hazy memory. Our government affairs manager was tasked Having a dedicated person to document with keeping officials informed of the inves- who said what at which press conference, and tigation’s progress, next steps and strategies what was released and when, is an invalu- so they could better understand our crisis able reference guide as you move through the management process. crisis management process. Two other roles that make running a large- The value of this role didn’t become clear scale incident run more smoothly are desig- to our team until days into the incident when nating a scribe and social media monitor. we began to recount what and when informa-

tion was released. We didn’t delegate a scribe, Our team called this “loading the gun.” but now we know that we should have. Every facet of the Sheriff’s Department, Equally important is dedicating someone from patrol to SWAT, diligently trains for the to monitor social media. This provide the “what ifs,” the worst-case scenarios and the chance for unfiltered communication and seemingly impossible. They are the things provide unfettered access and transparency. we never wish to happen but are grateful to But taking to social media platforms call on our training when they do. A com- means being prepared to handle the likely munications team should be no different. Talk tidal wave of comments, tips and questions about how to best prepare for your worst-case from the public. Someone needs to be there, scenario. Plan ahead. Put it on paper. eyes on the screen, to respond if some poten- Preparation will make that middle-of-the- tially important information comes in that night phone call less jarring and the days that needs to be shared with your organization. will follow less daunting. n All of these steps and every tool boils down to one overarching theme in handling a crisis: Jeff Hallock is assistant sheriff at Orange Coun- preparation. ty Sheriff’s Department. [email protected].

Crisis Plan Internal Communications Social Media

Proactivity, (Toilet) Paper and a Pandemic: Fighting on the Frontlines as a Grocer By Emily Mastroianni

n a matter of days, the grocery industry joined the front lines of the COVID-19 global pandemic, faced with an unprecedented level of demand as customers prepared for the government- mandated quarantine. IGrocers quickly began responding to this spike and it soon became clear that this was not just a race against surges in demand – this was the beginning of an entirely new grocery ecosystem. An ecosystem that prioritized: ■■ The safety and protection of its essential workers and customers ■■ A shift to online shopping and e-commerce ■■ Delivery and pick up services ■■ High standards of in-store operations and sanitation With time of the essence, Gatesman and its client SHOP ‘n SAVE, an independently The company developed a “Thank You” video that encouraged the community to show appreciation for the owned and operated grocery chain with more dedication of all employees through social media sharing than 80 stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Mary- and broadcast media. land, New York and West Virginia, found themselves navigating a never-before-seen the first internal changes Gatesman initiated crisis that brought new challenges that re- was pivoting the team’s existing long-term cri- quired nimble communications. sis strategy into a day-to-day strategy. Three areas of focus contributed to a With the state of the crisis shifting day-to- smooth navigation of the COVID-19 crisis: day and sometimes even hour-by-hour, the adaptation and anticipation; increased ca- team implemented daily (rather than weekly) dence of communication and transparency; internal status calls. Each call included key and commitment and action. representatives across teams and focused on discussing government mandates and indus- Adaptation & Anticipation try trends, community needs and safety, and First and foremost was the ability and will- operational demands to inform both internal ingness to adapt, and to do so quickly. One of and external messages.

SHOP ‘n SAVE developed messaging to communicate with shoppers about what it was doing to protect their health and provided these answers through social media, email and in-store enhancements and signage.

One of the first actions, and an impor- what might be coming next. This was up- tant component of the strategy shift, was the held through active monitoring of real-time evaluation of all current in-market messages. news, social media and government briefings For SHOP ‘n SAVE, it was vital to remove regarding all facets of the disease. anything that lacked sensitivity in response to Equally important was the close con- the pandemic. sideration of feedback from customers and With customers now confined at home, employees, which was maintained through more eyes were focused on what grocers were heightened community management in order and were not saying, with every piece of com- to ensure safety and maintain loyalty. munication having the potential to make or From internal discussions and external break the brand. With this in mind, SHOP ‘n monitoring emerged an underlying message SAVE removed all of its in-market commer- of hope, connectivity and appreciation. SHOP cials and focused its communication efforts ‘n SAVE harnessed this compassion and on its social channels. This allowed the brand deployed a message that served as the driving to align with its new day-to-day strategy and, force behind its communication and opera- most importantly, maintain the flexibility tional efforts: “We’re in this together.” needed to quickly shift or update messages. The clear unknown that was brought on by Increased Communication and the COVID-19 pandemic not only required Transparency adaptability and an adjusted strategy, but With this shift in strategy came the need also a sense of proactivity and anticipation of for an increased cadence of communication

and transparency with all parties. This began with those integral to SHOP ‘n SAVE, specifically, the independent owners, operators and employees, who ensured they had the resources needed to properly clean and manage stores according to CDC guidelines, which was pertinent to the protection of employees and customers alike. SHOP ‘n SAVE developed transparent external messaging to communicate openly and honestly with shoppers every step of the way because customers’ lives depended SHOP ‘n SAVE deployed messing that served to say, “We’re in this together.” on it. Customers needed to know what SHOP ‘n SAVE was doing to protect their health and they Just as important was the message of ap- needed to know what options were available preciation toward SHOP ‘n SAVE employees, so they could provide food for their fami- who had showed up each day for the well-be- lies. SHOP ‘n SAVE provided these answers ing of others in the community. The company through daily social media management, con- acted upon this through the development sistent email distribution updates and in-store of a “Thank You” video that encouraged the enhancements and signage, in order to reach community to show appreciation for the dedi- all audiences. cation of all employees through social media sharing and broadcast media. Commitment and Action As this case was written, Gatesman and Even more important than communicat- SHOP ‘n SAVE were still fighting on the ing the message was living the mantra “we’re frontlines. While there is no way in knowing in this together” through action. SHOP ‘n when another wave of the pandemic might Save donated $10,000 to local food banks surge, tracking every move made and every (the equivalent of 50,000 meals) and offered message developed along the way has been a 10% discount off store gift cards for all food a critical step in SHOP ‘n SAVE’s crisis re- banks, pantries and kitchens. Details about sponse. n this charitable initiative, along with other actions such as adjusting store hours for seniors, Emily Mastroianni is senior account executive were shared with media and picked up across at Gatesman. major local outlets. [email protected].

Crisis Plan Media Relations

How to Use Teamwork and Technology to Effectively Manage a Crisis Situation By Dana Berchman & Jennifer Alvarez

as your organization been hit above, preparedness is key in situations like with a crisis? As a PR profes- this and with our crisis communications plan sional, it’s not a matter of “if” in place we were effectively able to become a crisis will happen; rather, it’s our own news agency to communicate the a question of “when” it will most up-to-date information to residents happen. Since it’s unclear when a crisis will and the media. In fact, we had nearly 30,000 Harise, preparedness is key and having a crisis people following along as “Gilbert” and the communications plan is essential to ensure a fire was trending with Beyoncé onTwitter . timely response. Here are four key things that Gilbert’s crisis When a massive five-alarm fire broke communications plan considers. out on a Saturday evening in busy Gilbert, ■■ Be your own news agency. It’s no secret Arizona—a Phoenix suburb home to nearly that the media continues to shrink and 250,000 residents—the Gilbert Fire and are running with minimal staff. With this Rescue Department partnered with Gilbert’s in mind, it’s more important than ever to Digital Communications Department to be your own news agency and tell your take a “teamwork and technology” approach own story. You are the source and your to communication and community outreach. residents will come directly to you for This fire is a prime example of how an inci- the most up-to-date and factual informa- dent can continue to grow with time and how tion. And let’s be honest, who can tell your response should as well. your story better than you? What started out as a small fire at an apart- The fire occurred at 6:00 p.m. on a Satur- ment complex under construction, quickly day night, not exactly a prime time for news. turned into an enormous fire that was threat- This gave us the opportunity to be the source ening nearby homes, a 120-unit apartment of information for residents and those look- complex, several businesses and Gilbert’s mu- ing for any information on the fire. We got nicipal buildings. The fire caused evacuations, ahead of the news stations and told our story road closures, panic and curiosity, as it could live on social media before they went on-air be seen for miles across the entire Phoenix for the regular 10:00 p.m. news broadcast. valley. Nearly 140 firefighters from multiple It’s vital to build your following before a city agencies battled the blaze for more than crisis hits so that when you need to distribute five hours to protect it from spreading and important information, your customers are potentially burning down the city block. already engaged. Plus, by consistently telling During this time our team was challenged your story—the good and the bad—you build with managing the news media, social me- trust and credibility with your customers. dia and community outreach. As mentioned And the best part is that technology is mak-

3 Lessons Learned About Using Live Video in a Crisis Live video is an amazing resource, especially during a crisis situation. This tool not only allows you to show a scene but it also gives an organization the opportunity to put a face at the forefront. Before you go live, here are three things you need to know: 1. It’s the ultimate multitasking challenge. This is something you won’t necessarily understand until you try it. This is why practicing prior to going live, especially during a crisis, is imperative. While you’re live, not only should you be speaking and giving information or conducting an interview, but you also need to make sure you monitor questions and comments. Engaging in a two-way conversation with your viewers is the best way to connect with your viewers. Bonus tip: Turn off all other notifications while you go live to prevent them from interrupting your live feed. 2. “Haters gonna hate.” Just like with any other social media platform, live video gives your viewers the freedom to say what they want to say. Depending on your organization’s policies, you can block them or, if you can’t block them, encourage appropriate comments throughout your broadcast. More often than not, your other viewers will end up policing the naysayers. 3. Technology is draining. The great thing about technology is that you’re now able to do everything you need directly from your smartphone. When you’re managing crisis communications from your phone it’s going to be working overtime and it’s important to make sure you not only have a full battery when you start, but that you also have a charger as well. This is especially important when you go live as the live broadcast tends to drain smartphone batteries even faster and you will not know how long your emergency situation will last. The worst thing you can do is run out of battery in the middle of a livestream. Live video is an easy way to incorporate video into your crisis situation or your marketing mix in general. Find a topic and try it out if you haven’t already. Practice makes perfect!

ing it easier than ever to tell your own story, we utilize Twitter as our primary social media which brings us to our next point. platform to distribute the most up-to-date ■■ Embrace technology. Technology is information. In addition to Twitter, we also use rapidly changing and is giving PR and live video (see sidebar), and in this case, Per- marketing professionals new outlets to sicope, to give the community an opportunity reach and engage with their customers. to see the scene and hear from and engage in a Embracing these new tools and incor- two-way conversation with Gilbert Fire’s Public porating them into your communica- Information Officer. We went live from the fire tions plan—and more importantly, your twice; the first time was before any mass media crisis communications plan—is critical. coverage began and the second live segment Find out where your customers are and competed with the 10:00 p.m. news use that platform, whether it is Twitter, During the fire, our social media updates Facebook Live, Instagram or Snapchat, included information on evacuations, road to share information before, during and closures, media staging areas and status after crisis situations. updates on the fire. Twitter also gave us an Make sure your customers know where to opportunity to show a behind-the-scenes look find you and the information they are look- at the incident. We were able to tell the full ing for. Gilbert has more than 25 social media story of the fire—from the firefighters actu- channels, but during emergencies like the fire, ally fighting the blaze to the rehab they went

Gilbert Fire and Rescue used Twitter and live video to share a behind-the-scenes look at the fire. Credit: Gilbert Fire and Rescue

through after they returned from the front lines. Twitter also gave us the opportunity to thank local businesses that provided food for first responders and evacuees as well as our neighboring cities that provided additional Here are four things that Gilbert, Arizona’s crisis com- resources. This storytelling power allowed us munications plan considers that yours should too. Credit: to engage our audience and put a human per- Gilbert, Arizona spective beyond the fire. It also gave citizens an opportunity to connect with first respond- During the fire we had four personnel ers and thank them for their efforts. assisting with crisis communications and out- ■■ You can’t do it alone. During a major in- reach. Three team members were onsite—one cident, like the five-alarm fire, there are a handling all onsite media interviews, another lot of moving parts from managing onsite assisting with phone interview requests and media, phone and email media inquiries, the third onsite team member was handling gathering the latest information, sharing social media while also gathering the latest that information, monitoring the media details. The fourth team member was offsite and social listening, just to name a few. monitoring the news coverage and assisting The point is, you can’t do it alone and it’s with social listening. The social listening fac- important to build your crisis communi- tor is important because it clues you into what cations SWAT team before you need it. your messaging currently isn’t addressing.

Had the fire worsened, our crisis commu- Gilbert, Arizona’s crisis communications nications plan outlines additional resources plan has become a model for government as an incident grows. By planning ahead and communicators. There were more than 16,000 having your team in place, it makes coor- tweets posted about “Gilbert” and the Gil- dinating communications during a crisis as bert Fire which led to the topic trending with seamless as possible. Beyoncé and the UFC on Twitter. People ■■ Nobody expects perfection, but they do near and far were talking about the fire and expect information. In a crisis situation, we were leading that global conversation. timing is everything. It is important to Gilbert’s tweets had more than 30,000 impres- get ahead of the incident and establish sions and Gilbert Fire and Rescue’s Twitter yourself as the source of information. account gained an additional 700 followers. Crisis situations are constantly evolving Citizens used social media as a way to thank and changing, sometimes by the minute. first responders and it was an incredible way Your audience does not expect perfec- to bring the community together during a tion, but they do expect information. tragedy. All of this was made possible by As soon as we are aware of a crisis situ- embracing technology and teamwork during ation, we make it a priority to post about it a crisis situation. n immediately on social media, specifically Twitter. If we don’t have many details, we at minimum recognize that we know that there Dana Berchman is chief digital officer for Gil- is an incident and let our followers know bert, Arizona. [email protected] more information will be posted as soon as it or @DanaBerchman. is available. The fact that we at least recognize Jennifer Alvarez is digital media & marketing that there is an incident helps to build our officer for Gilbert, Arizona. Jennifer.Alvarez@ credibility with our citizens. gilbertaz.gov or @JenAlvarezAZ.

Crisis Plan Internal Communications

How Leadership Drives Crisis Communications Success By Gary Kimball

et’s put aside talking points, media (BCP) was pushed to the limit by the scope of statements and other crisis com- the coronavirus. However, having this plan in munications tools for a minute. place benefited its continued operations and There is a fundamental leader- communications. A plan creates the structure ship skill that drives a good crisis that makes it easier to put one foot in front of communications response. That is the ability, the other, move through details methodically Lwhen faced with a crisis, to accept the reality and intelligently, and organizes a communica- of what is happening and, at the same time, tions team that is ready to go. see down the road to what it will look like at The company was able to move quickly, the end. Unfortunately, some leaders react adapting to remote operations that restored like the proverbial deer in headlights: They 85 percent of its capacity within three days. take too long to move forward and get too And it communicated early and often with tangled up in the near-term impact to chart a its two main audiences: its employees and course that will lead them out of harm’s way. clients. Balancing speed and accuracy in its We saw this ability (or inability) play out communications was critical, as the outbreak in public and private sector responses to the proved to be ever-changing with rules often COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes in very determined by the local government. positive ways and sometimes in strange and The company communicated proactively tragic ways. And when an organization’s strat- from day one with candid messages, backed egy and response are flawed, there is only so by facts, that put employee safety first as much communication professionals can do. it brought operations back to full capacity When we examine responses to this crisis, as quickly as possible. For example, when it’s easy to point to failures. Instead, let’s look the company returned to its offices using at what one company did right. a phased-in approach, it provided private transportation for employees — a significant One Communication Success Story safety step in a culture where public transport The company is a global services provider is used heavily. serving U.S. insurance operations. It has near- Company leaders and the business devel- ly 4,500 employees in China. A full month opment team implemented routine, multi- before the impact of the coronavirus was felt channel client communications, including in the U.S., this company’s China offices were daily and weekly email updates on staffing, shut down, its staff spread out on a national global messaging from executives and one- holiday and their ability to serve their clients on-one calls to address specific concerns. The was in jeopardy. company listened to clients and adapted along Like many, their business continuity plan the way. Employees on the front line were

prepared with FAQs so they could respond to well-being. That’s what inspires people to find questions and concerns accurately and con- solutions and energizes morale. sistently. This proactive and candid approach On the other hand, those who let short- resonated with clients. term profits guide them may have lost per- This approach also reflected the company spective of where they will be when the crisis culture, as the CEO told me emphatically is over. They probably found communicat- one day: “We over-communicate; that’s who ing with employees, clients and others more we are.” In a crisis of this scale, it served the challenging — as did those who were over- company well. Moreover, when the execu- whelmed, had no plan or waited too long to tives communicated, it was with meaningful, respond. Those who simply stayed silent lost practical information. There were messages an opportunity to create a hopeful story, al- of hope and tributes to staff, but the focus lowing other narratives to take hold. remained on staying safe and serving clients. Finally, how much is too much? How do Lessons Learned we stay connected in a crisis without over- Even in a pandemic, the basics of crisis whelming people with too many messages? I communications remain the same. Speak think it starts with knowing our employees, openly and honestly to your audiences, knowing our clients and setting expectations communicate quickly but strategically, voice from the start about when and how they empathy and compassion when appropriate will hear from us. Then, as communication and take control of all messaging around your professionals, we should be able to tell if the specific company. message is sincere, timely, helpful — and not Today, tragedy and fear are embedded in self-serving. People need information that daily life, and timetables are moving targets. helps them, not generalities and trite over- Leaders should take steps early on to address used phrases. employee and client concerns, implement There’s nothing easy about communicat- emergency plans and lay out a flexible and ing in a crisis, but it’s a lot easier with strong adaptive course of action. Communications leaders who recognize when a storm is com- flow naturally from such an approach. ing, have a plan and move forward quickly, Those who did it right in the COVID-19 n pandemic were front and center with their honestly and with good intentions. clients and staff from the onset. Their calm voices didn’t minimize the impact but did Gary Kimball is president and founder of inspire confidence in the thoughtful course Kimball Hughes Public Relations. gkimball@ they charted and care taken for everyone’s kimballpr.com.

Internal Communications Communicating in Crisis: Using Multiple Channels to Confront Coronavirus Concerns By Christina Kuhl

hen we issued our first and Canada in nearly 100 different locations, company-wide email but the vast majority of the workforce spends communication about their days either on the warehouse or fab- the coronavirus on rication shop floor or as part of our fleet of March 4, 2020, it was to professional delivery drivers bringing orders let our associates know that we were monitor- directly to customers. Wing the situation and to share some helpful They’re not sitting at desks reading emails, tips from the CDC on how to stay healthy. and they’re not doing jobs that can be per- As the crisis began to escalate, we encour- formed remotely. In addition to having to aged associates to stop attending large in- overcome the perception issue of whose dustry events before we outright canceled all safety was being prioritizing by transitioning non-essential travel on March 13. Just four most of our corporate staff to work remotely, days later, we told all associates who could we had to rise to a number of challenges: work from home to do so immediately. demonstrating how we would remain true Distribution International faces a num- to our core purpose to “Enhance the Life of ber of communications challenges in “nor- Every Member of the DI Family”; conveying mal” times. Not only are the company’s 1,300 genuine empathy for our workforce given the associates scattered across the United States unprecedented level of economic uncertainty;

and creating and distributing messages that would reach and resonate with all associates. Point link to the audio file on February 27, Email: Good for Facts, Not Feelings just a week before the first coronavirus email. As soon we made the decision to close We recorded his third podcast on March 24, our three corporate offices, we began issuing and he spoke for 14 minutes about adjusting daily emails to all associates. These emails to our new reality. focused on the actions we were taking to keep We knew difficult decisions were on the our business running, such as expanding our immediate horizon. Rather than trying to leave policies to provide additional flexibility, soften the blow or make false assurances, we issuing detailed cleaning protocols for our told the truth. Workforce reductions were warehouses and providing clarification about coming. Feedback from this message was that why we were considered an “essential busi- it made associates nervous, but they appreci- ness” and could continue to operate during ated the honesty. the crisis. When this podcast was sent by email, we This cadence was critical to demonstrating included it as an attachment rather than a our commitment to keeping our workforce SharePoint link to provide easier and faster safe while still running our business. But as access to the file. We continued to use audio our orders began to slow and the construction every week because it captured the tone and industry outlook continued to deteriorate, human aspect of the decisions that were being we knew we had to start making tough deci- made in a way email never could. Associates sions—the kind of decisions that require em- consistently commented that they could hear pathy and explanation, the kind of communi- the weight of these decisions and genuine em- cation that doesn’t translate well via email. pathy in our CEO’s voice, lending credibility to both the message and the messenger. Audio: Embrace Honesty and Empathy Our CEO Steve Margolius had kicked off Text Messages: Reach Your Audience 2020 with a candid, straight-forward, buzz- Anywhere word-free podcast to discuss the company’s We knew that most of our associates did latest business developments. The second not have regular access to email, which was episode was issued via email with a Share- our primary method of podcast distribution.

To ensure all associates had easy and immedi- audio versions and sent them along with the ate access to the latest information from our English audio file to all associates. CEO, we used a text message platform offered by our phone service provider to deliver the Commitment to Communicating audio messages directly to associates’ cell Our communications approach was driven phones. The text message included a link to by the belief that honesty is the best policy. the recording on YouTube. No matter how difficult the message, honesty is how you demonstrate genuine respect for Translation: Inclusion in Crisis others. And during the coronavirus outbreak, While emails can easily be translated into we never compromised. Whether working other languages using Google Translate, audio remotely or on the warehouse floor, our as- files for non-native English speakers present sociates saw us consistently demonstrating a challenge. We had been providing writ- our respect for them by delivering the latest ten translations of podcasts in Spanish and information via multiple channels and mul- French, but recognizing the impact of audio tiple languages. Consistent, honest communi- vs. the written word, we knew we needed to cations served as a bright spot in an otherwise take the translation further. We contracted dark time. translators for Spanish and French that could more quickly and affordably translate our Christina Kuhl is director of executive com- podcast transcripts. We then used two inter- munications at Distribution International. nal resources to produce Spanish and French [email protected]

Crisis Plan Executive and Spokesperson Training

Better Understand Organizational Trust Through a Consumer’s Perspective By Christie Kleinmann

he “nearly new” car smell still of pointing fingers, and a court order that lingered in the 2014 F-150’s inte- voided our rights of ownership. rior when the uniformed officer We visited the local dealership that same delivered the court summons day, but received limited assistance. The one Saturday morning. Accord- manager on duty was more concerned with ing to the courts, the black truck sitting in our removing us than hearing our concern. Tdriveway was not legally ours. We had bought Apparently, the person who could handle the truck three months earlier at a local car this matter was unavailable until Monday. dealership. The truck was loaded and at a We didn’t wait until Monday. We called good price; it had seemed too good to be true. another manager who routed us to “Bill” We christened the truck the B.A.T. Its dark who would handle our concern. That was tinted windows, black rims and red accents our last phone conversation with the dealer- truly made it a Bad A(ttitude) Truck. For the ship for the next seven days. Bill preferred next three months, the B.A.T. was a promi- short, “we’re working on it” texts and was nent figure in our family plans. We bought a unavailable for phone conversations. Later, camper for the truck and commenced plan- Bill would proudly note that he contacted us ning for the long-discussed trip across the every day, which is technically true. For the United States. Dreams of adventures, tailgates next seven days, we received short texts of as- and getaways infused our conversations, and surance, but no substantive information. the B.A.T. played the leading role. By this time, we had been counseled by Dreams were shattered with a single knock friends and coworkers to seek legal assistance. on the front door. The court order granted After all, we only had 30 days to respond to legal ownership to another, and we had 30 the summons, and the clock was ticking. Yet, days to respond. we waited, albeit impatiently. The dealership Details were flimsy, but based on conver- was a good community supporter, and the sations with the plaintiff’s lawyer, the B.A.T. owner’s son attended the same school as our had been taken by a car transport company children. We wanted to give them the chance and deposited at our car dealer, where we to do the right thing. then purchased it. The lawyer stated that our Seven days later, the local dealership told dealer had been notified that the B.A.T.’s title us that they wanted to “make it right” and was questionable. The car dealer’s response buy the B.A.T. from us. We arranged our first was equivocal, but the state of Georgia’s ruling face-to-face meeting. was clear, placing a levy on the B.A.T. that When we arrived, Bill met us at the front legally returned rightful ownership to its pre- door and ushered us toward a salesperson to vious owner. We were caught in the middle show us different trucks.

What? We didn’t come to buy another Integrity is words with feet. truck; we came to get rid of the one we had Without action, integrity is supposedly “bought.” simply window dressing. The last thing we wanted was another transaction with this dealership. Make it Trust and the Organization right, then part ways. Continuing to do busi- Bill followed crisis communication pro- ness with them was not part of our plan. tocol. He accepted responsibility without It seemed we had misunderstood Bill’s assuming fault, and he communicated the text. The dealership was offering to accept organization’s desire to “make it right” and “to the B.A.T. at our previous sales price IF we earn your trust.” Yet, the interaction failed to bought another truck from them. The alterna- deliver either of Bill’s promises. tive was to see what would happen in court, The first promise “to make it right” should but Bill insinuated that a court answer could have been followed with the question, “right take some time. for whom?” It certainly was not right for us. We felt trapped. Either decision was The reminders (the organization is losing fraught with uncertainty. money; the organization is doing us a favor), “How do we know that a second truck will the behaviors (the deal is only good today; not bring another summons to our door?” another truck must be purchased through “This has never happened before,” Bill as- our dealership), were organizational-centric sured us. “We move nearly 4,000 vehicles each focused. The customer satisfaction poster on month, and this has never happened.” the wall was mere corporate speak. “But it did happen, and it happened to us.” Bill often recited the second promise, “to Bill leaned back in his chair and thought earn your trust.” Yet, he never did. “To earn” for a moment. is to acquire as a result of effort or action. Trust “It’s like when you go eat at Cracker Bar- begins as a gift, and it is the power of the rel. You can go there and have lots of good trustee to offer it. The phrase “earn your trust” meals. But one day, you go, and the food is was misleading, as it assumed that the orga- not good. Maybe it’s a bit burned. The cook nization had power in our decision to trust was having a bad day . . . “ them. Granted, the organization could seek I shook my head in response. to become more trustworthy, or deserving of “What, do you work at Cracker Barrel?” trust, but trust was ours to give or withhold. “If I have a bad meal at Cracker Barrel, a The decision was ours. police officer doesn’t show up at my door the next day.” Trust Footers “Well, this has never happened before, and Once trust is rescinded, can it be re- technically our name is not on the summons.” extended? Certainly. Is it possible? Maybe, We would hear that a lot that day. The but trust is predicated on three tenets. The dealership was not listed on the summons; presence or omission of these tenets does not the dealership would lose lots of money by require a consumer to trust the organization. making this right; the dealership was doing Trust is given or taken by the trustee. Yet us a favor. The more we heard it, the less we these three “trust footers” enhance the likeli- trusted the dealership, Bill, the salesperson, hood that trust will be planted, or replanted, and their “spirit” of customer service. It was a in the organization. long day.

Stewards of Trust: Characteristics of a Stewardship Organization If an organization cannot earn trust, can it regain the trust lost during a crisis? Is the consumer relationship over? Not exactly. Organizations can become more trustworthy by enhancing their competence, dependability and integrity. More importantly, organizations can recognize trust as a valuable gift. To do so requires an organizational paradigm shift from earning someone’s trust to caring for someone’s trust. From this perspective, organizations are stewards of consumer trust. They do not own a consumer’s trust, but they are commissioned to care for the trust. Here are four characteristics of the stewardship organization: The stewardship organization wears glasses. The stewardship organization seeks the consumer’s point of view. A self-centered organization gambles a consumer’s trust for organizational gain. A stewardship organization puts on another’s glasses and seeks to understand the world from the consumer’s perspective. The stewardship organization bears a sword. The stewardship organization protects a consumer’s trust. It recognizes that trust is not transactional. It cannot be calculated through a system of debts and credits. Trust is relational and requires a long-term commitment to the consumer. The stewardship organization carries a flashlight. The stewardship organization searches the organization’s dark corners and illuminates any organizational aberrations. It recognizes that proper stewardship requires both words and action and seeks to ensure organizational integrity. The stewardship organization opens its windows. The stewardship organization never needs curtains. Often, organizational integrity is displayed as window dressing. Good efforts, such as community service, are a ploy to avert attention from the mess inside. The stewardship organization, however, scours organizational behavior and communication down to its intent to ascertain if the organization is honoring, protecting and caring for the consumer’s trust.

■■ Trust Footer #1: Competency incident. Bill provided a personal repertoire Consumers expect organizations to meet to support his ability to “make it right.” Yet, basic competencies. These expectations form despite their extensive history and assurances the foundation of trust for consumers who of dependability, we were unconvinced. interact with an organization. We expected Our questions were often met with “I’ll the car dealership to sell us a truck with a have to check on that,” and no one was quite clear title. We expected our transaction to be able to explain how this anomaly occurred. legally binding. We expected the organiza- Our situation was framed as an abnormality tion to be honest and fair. When these basic in an otherwise reliable organization. Their expectations were broken, our trust in the intent to earn our trust was met with our organization evaporated. Despite the organi- skepticism on why we should. zation’s insistence to earn our trust, they were ■■ Trust Footer #3: Integrity unable to assure us that they could meet these Integrity is words with feet. Without ac- basic competencies. tion, integrity is simply window dressing, and ■■ Trust Footer #2: Dependability we found plenty of curtains. The flagrant sale Throughout our exchange, the dealership of a stolen vehicle was masked by a dealer’s recited its organizational pedigree numerous promise to rectify the situation, immersed in times. They noted their years in business, the a deal with plenty of strings attached. While volume of their sales and the anomaly of this the dealer sought restoration, the plan re-

quired us to purchase another truck from a The Not So Proud Owners select lot on that day. Fifty trucks and five hours later, we were Further, we were treated as modern- the not-so-proud owners of another Ford day lepers, sequestered to a lot 45 minutes F-150. The new car glow had long since van- removed from their public showroom. If ished, and the process was more troublesome we wanted to see a truck from that lot, we than initially promised. It took nearly an hour could look at it online, and if necessary, the of negotiation for the dealership to sell us a truck would be driven to our location. The truck with more miles and a smaller engine continual reminder that the dealership was for the same price as the B.A.T. And through it all, we were reminded that the dealership voluntarily assisting us did little to enhance was doing us a favor. Ironically, when we fi- their integrity. Their posture as organizational nally left the dealership, we drove on fumes to martyrs who would lose substantial money in the closest gas station. It seemed the dealer’s the deal shattered the remaining illusion. The favors didn’t extend to providing a tank of tattered curtains could not hide the mendac- gas. We could do without their favors. ity of the organization. The new black truck now sits in our drive- At some point in the day, Bill recognized way. We haven’t named it yet. Truth be told, the improbability of earning our trust. The we are waiting for the knock on the door. rhetoric transitioned from earning our trust Incidentally, the B.A.T. is for sale again. Two to earning our business. At one point late in days after our trade, it appeared on the local the negotiations, the salesperson said, “We dealer’s website. So if you wish to purchase a don’t want to lose your future business.” black F-150 with black rims and red trim, be We both smirked as the statement hung careful. It is listed at a good price, but as Bill between us. There would be no future busi- so wisely pointed out, “now we know why.” n ness. This exercise was simply an arduous exchange. Without the basic footers of trust Dr. Christie Kleinmann, APR, is an associate in place, a future relationship with the dealer- professor of public relations at Belmont Univer- ship was implausible. We both knew it. sity. [email protected].

Executive and Spokesperson Training Media Relations

The Houston Astros Offer Lessons in How Not to Apologize By Dave Dykes

ost PR pros know the funda- mentals of apologizing during a crisis. Perhaps the Mbiggest challenge as an industry is communicating that this formula is the only way out of a bad situation. Evidence: The Houston Astros. Losing the 2019 World Series was the first chapter in a nightmare cheating scandal that spanned much of the baseball off-season for the Astros. This led, albeit slowly, to a February 2020 presser, which destroyed what little brand equity that Contrast this with the penalty soccer club remained in the franchise. Manchester City received. By now you probably know the Astros Delay Tactics cheated, using high-tech cameras and buzzers to steal signs. This helped it to a 2017 World Instead of addressing the situation, the Series win and an American League Cham- Astros denied requests for comment across pionship, in 2019. The cheating also contrib- sports media. Its players and owner did not uted to the destruction of several prospective speak publicly, other than impromptu in- Major League Baseball (MLB) careers. terviews. Crane said he was “not worried.” The team accepted MLB internal investiga- This lack of a cohesive, sincere response led tion of its cheating, which was issued early in The Wall Street Journalto publish an article January. Not one active player was named in demanding answers. the nine-page report. The team kept its wins and championship. Team owner Jim Crane The Press Conference was hit with a relatively small fine, but was On Feb. 13, 2020, the team held a press able to maintain ownership of the team. Let’s conference, finally. Among a litany of cringe- move on, no story here, was the message. worthy highlights was owner Crane saying

sign stealing didn’t impact the game, then im- wrong. Admit that whatever happened was mediately denying he’d said that. Two of the the result of a bad decision. Show that you Astros’ top players, and users of sign-stealing understand, with perspective, why what you technology, Alex Bregman and José Altuve, did was wrong. read statements. They lasted a combined 90 ■■ Accept Responsibility seconds; the two left without answering ques- Showing accountability is the most impor- tions from the press. tant part of an apology. The Astros did the The difference between ‘sorry for my ac- exact opposite. Quoting owner Crane: “I don’t tions’ and ‘sorry I got caught’ was displayed think I should be held accountable.” for all. No one at the press conference com- He needed to apologize for what happened. municated steps the organization would take CEOs rarely want to apologize. Most of the to prevent future cheating. time they categorically deny admitting to any Sports media immediately vilified this wrongdoing. They believe it could lead to self- overwhelming lack of remorse. Sports Illus- incrimination if the matter goes to court. trated labeled it a “public relations meltdown.” Thing is, if you schedule a press conference to apologize, apologize. The evidence already A New Version of a Classic Mistake is severely stacked against you. It’s going to be Organizations often get a chance to come difficult to deny in court anyhow. clean and emerge from a crisis scenario with Second, there are ways to sincerely apolo- integrity. Often they choose not to do so. gize without submitting a guilty plea to legal Despite countless PR case studies detailing charges. CEOs can show that as a leader, the situations where organizations were caught buck stops with you to rid the organization of red-handed in nefarious activity, the Astros bad actors. took a classic ill-advised approach. They de- ■■ Communicate a Plan nied accountability. Let’s move on. This is where the Astros failed most directly. The plan for winning back public trust was The PR Apology Formula to move ahead and focus on the 2020 base- As legendary basketball coach Dean Smith ball season. Unfortunately, the team skipped said, the right way to make a mistake is over internal disciplinary action and policies “recognize it, admit it, learn from it, forget it.” to prevent another cheating scandal. To win These principles are the core of how organiza- back the public, you need to illustrate through tions should publicly apologize. action that you are sorry for what you did. ■■ Outline What Happened The Astros had their chance to admit The purpose of disclosing all the details remorse and accept responsibility. The team about what happened in an apology is to passed on it. In the court of public opinion, make sure you and the public are on the same the Astros must accept whatever penalties page. Do not withhold or massage messaging. they receive. n It will come across as withholding truth and disrespecting the public’s intelligence. Dis- Dave Dykes is a senior account executive at close what happened and where things went Bluetext.

Media Relations Social Media

How a National Celebrity Navigated an Arguably Career-Ending Mistake By Casey Adams Jones

he lines between controversial that jokes on a stage are received differently in comedy and offensive banter online communities. A mix of responses en- often blur, but when they’re sued, and he suddenly had the attention of not crossed–you’d better have a plan only his followers but also the school’s students in place. Failure to recover from and alumni, media and LGBTQ advocacy or- a crisis where marginalized groups are cha- ganizations like Human Rights Campaign. Tgrined could impact jobs and reputations. I advised that he remove the posts, go dark Celebrity comedian and local radio per- on social media and release a statement im- sonality Charlie Brady hired C. Adams mediately. As PR professionals, we must trust Agency after posting tweets intended as jest, our gut that tells us when a situation will blow but that came across as homophobic. over without being addressed and when it’s The team acted quickly, yet not impetuous- escalating and critical to be vocal. ly, while partnering with senior leaders at a Understanding the severity of the situa- Fortune 500 company and the second-largest tion, Brady requested we partner on a crisis radio company in the nation. communication plan.

Trust Your Gut Act Quickly, But Not Impetuously Each spring, Charlie Brady’s alma mater Crises are a matter of when, not if and hosts a competition in which students com- require swift, but not impetuous action. Hav- pete for the title of ‘Mr./Ms. University’ and ing a templated plan that covers a myriad of serve as an ambassador for the following scenarios is efficient and effective. Instead academic year. This particular spring would of having to create a plan from scratch, your be the first time a candidate vying for the ‘Mr.’ team will be equipped with a plug-and-play title publicly identified as homosexual. approach to guide next steps. Brady posted tweets referencing the stu- Our crisis template, inclusive of reputa- dent’s sexual orientation and quickly realized tion management components, allowed us to

A sample of the message that Charlie Brady posted to apologize for his previous indiscretion.

promptly draft a plan and delegate tasks as received multiple interview requests and appropriate to partners. inquiries about whether Charlie Brady’s radio Because Brady was an employee of For- or television contracts would be impacted by tune 500 company Viacom, and the second- this infraction. Having him speak with media largest radio company in the U.S., Entercom was not advised. Communications Company, all statements For each call, we noted the reporter’s con- required final approval by a senior leader of tact information and deadline, then provided each organization. Communication by email a reasonable deadline to deliver an official was the most efficient way to keep all appro- statement. It’s critical to confirm media dead- priate parties in the loop at each stage of the lines because a lack of any response leads to crisis plan, especially as we sought review and the use of “couldn’t be reached for comment” approval of external statements. or “no comment” being noted in an article. Such phrases further damage one’s reputation. #SincereStatementsMatter Personalization of a statement is critical. Swiftness and Sincerity Sincere statements will always matter. After releasing the official statement, we During our initial meeting, we asked our entered the final phase of crisis management: client how he felt about his offense. This recovery and rebuilding. We conducted fre- pulse check was to gauge the level of remorse quent social listening and monitored media Charlie Brady had so that it could be infused coverage to ensure news articles were factu- into the formal statement. We also included ally accurate. Overall tone and sentiment are sound bites from Brady’s apology directly to not arguable, but any incorrect recount of the student via phone. events should always be corrected. In addition to ensuring a genuine tone and We also created a safe space for Brady and an admission of wrongdoing, our agency in- the student to connect for a heartfelt conversa- cluded a high-level overview of Charlie Brady’s tion. Post-discussion, we updated media and plan to rectify the situation. The statement invited them to cover local service projects and also removed from the situation all local and community events Brady participated in over national brands with which he was affiliated. the next several months. These components of Within an hour, the statement was unani- the plan created positive press coverage. mously approved by Viacom and Entercom, It goes without saying that the rebuilding and we distributed it to media and on all process took many months. Initially, there of Brady’s social media platforms. Though were positive news articles about Brady that several activist groups continued to express would still reference the crisis. In time, the their infuriation, a resounding number of references were finally omitted. responses–including one from the student– Acting swiftly and sincerely not only set centered around forgiveness and compassion a foundation on which to rebuild Charlie for a human who made a mistake. Brady’s brand, but it also salvaged his positions with Viacom and Entercom. n Be Open and Honest with Media Depending on the gravity of a crisis situ- Casey Adams Jones is founder and owner of C. ation, it may or may not be expedient for Adams Agency and communications director of the a client to engage in media interviews. We American Heart Association (Philadelphia chapter).

Crisis Plan Media Relations

Crisis Averted: Avoiding Reputational Damage During the COVID-19 Pandemic By Dayne Stern

ver the last 21 years, Cape that general public sentiment had started to Town International Jazz adopt a much more cautious outlook. We Festival (CTIJF) has grown to started planning and defining communica- become one of South Africa’s tion objectives around possible postponement most popular cultural events, or cancellation scenarios for CTIJF 2020. We and the 2020 iteration promised to be a high- created a detailed report showing that the Olight on the social calendar. growing concern had led many countries and The event was scheduled to start on event organizers around the world to cancel March 27, and up until the beginning of the upcoming public gatherings on an unprec- month the project was running according to edented scale. plan. However, during the first two weeks of On March 11, espAfrikaEXCO, the event March, the global narrative shifted suddenly organizers, was still agonizing over whether to the possibility of to cancel the event, COVID-19 becom- and it was only ing a pandemic. late that night that Questions of consensus was the possibility of finally reached. the event being Pre-empting the cancelled started expected instruction to arise in the first from government week of March. over the upcoming With just over three weekend, the EXCO weeks to go before team announced the event, cancelling Africa’s Grandest Gathering presents the 20th installment the cancellation of of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival. was the last thing CTIJF 2020 as a on the event organizers’ minds . Every year, precautionary health measure. CTJIF is a significant contributor to Cape There was still much public uncertainty Town’s wider economy; most hotels are fully and scepticism at the time, and it was still 12 booked, and local business reap tremendous days until President Cyril Ramaphosa would benefit from an influx of local and interna- announce the start of the national lockdown tional visitors. on March 28, incidentally one day after the CTIJF was originally due to start. A Difficult Decision Announcing the cancellation would draw Positive Dialogue (PD) had been track- close attention from media, the industry and ing the COVID-19 narrative closely and saw the public. We needed separate communica-

tion strategies for media, staff and stakehold- During this crisis communication peers that showed CTIJF had adopted a sensi- riod, PD analyzed the coverage to ensure key tive approach and was acting in a responsible brand message penetration KPIs appeared manner with the best interests of the artists, in the editorial coverage across online, print staff and South African public at heart. and broadcast media channels. Based on the postponement announcement, key messages The Strategy conveyed through the media relations efforts We devised a crisis communications plan included: to empower the CTIJF team to take a degree ■■ The Festival’s management is aware of of ownership of the news, in order for the the Coronavirus concerns. company to project an air of professionalism ■■ The Festival is postponed for the foresee- and protect its reputation and commercial able future, as a public health precaution- imperatives. The plan included: ary measure. ■■ Guidelines for establishing a crisis team, ■■ The Festival management is committed including the appointment of a team to acting in the best interest of its loyal leader and spokesperson. Festinos (attendees), performing artists, ■■ Communications schedule, including service providers, employees and the what information would be communi- public at large. cated to whom, and when. CTIJF’s reputation is its most valuable as- ■■ Postponement announcement content set. The fast and effective roll-out and man- for staff, artists, media and CTIJF social agement of the crisis communications strat- media channels. egy helped in overcoming this crisis quickly, ■■ Content for FAQs on the CTIJF website. with few negative consequences in terms of ■■ Suggested target media for proactive stakeholder relations, media relations, con- interviews with spokesperson. sumer engagement and brand trust. ■■ Spokesperson media briefing document Although this strategy required the Fes- and interview coaching. tival’s management to adapt operational, commercial and financial-related decisions, Implementation Overview good communication management played a The official announcement to cancel the vital role in ensuring that the company’s im- event was scheduled for March 13 and was age remained intact and avoided irreversible communicated to staff, stakeholders and art- reputational damage. n ists, at the same time as the press release was distributed and the announcement was made Dayne Stern is account director at Positive on the event website and social channels. Dialogue. [email protected]

Crisis Plan Media Relations Executive and Spokesperson Training

Lessons From Samsung’s PR Fiasco: 6 Tips to Protect Your Reputation By Yvonne Maher

eeks after the first re- work on the solution. If you are in the wrong, ports of exploding say you’re sorry, show empathy and provide batteries in Samsung’s evidence and detail on what you are doing to Galaxy Note 7 phone resolve the situation. started in fall 2016, the Technical issues and product recalls hap- negative headlines remained. pen, but how you handle them is what is WThe company has been criticized by the important. For example, the Royal Bank of public and commentators about its lackluster Scotland Group has suffered a string of IT response to the issue, with some media com- glitches and meltdowns during the past few plaining that statements were vague. years, which in some instances meant cus- Brands can learn some valuable lessons tomers could not withdraw cash from ATMs. about protecting brand and reputation in a Each time it was proactive in apologizing to time of crisis. customers, communicated with all stakeholders through media or social channels and 1. Be Prepared outlined what action was being taken. Every brand or company should be pre- In the case of Samsung, the compa- pared for a potential issue or crisis to hit. ny should have been honest about the prob- This can be anything from a data breach, to a lem from the beginning. In its first statement product recall, to a customer complaint, to an it claimed to have “identified the affected internal fraud investigation. The advances in inventory and stopped sales and shipments technology, high penetration of social media of those devices,” but when it transpired that and rise in cyber-crime makes this all the the replacement devices were also exploding, more likely. Work with your communications it was clearly more than a supplier issue. At team and PR agency to identify potential this point customers began to lose trust and issues that could hit your company, draft rel- started to question whether Samsung had a evant scenarios and responses, establish roles clear grip on what was happening. and responsibilities and finally set protocols A clearer use of language would have been on how to handle media requests. Then test better and more honest. For example, rather it with a group of stakeholders across your than the term “replacement program,” the organization on a regular basis. term “product recall” would have been more apt. More detail on the specifics of what went 2. Establish the Facts, Apologize and wrong and the technical issues, rather than Take Action a vague statement about the importance of When the real issue hits, work quickly customer safety, would have helped to man- to establish the facts, identify the issue and age the bad press better.

3. Appoint the Right Spokesperson the sentiment and conversations will help you One of the big learnings from the BP get the tone and wording of your communica- Horizon oil spill, another PR crisis, is that the tions right. person leading the response cannot be the spokesperson. Tony Hayward, BP’s CEO at 5. Keep Communicating; Be Proactive the time, learned this at his peril, famously After you press send, tweet and share your saying in an interview “I want my life back,” first media statement with your community, when 11 people died in the disaster and more don’t curl up under your desk and hope the than 200 million gallons of crude oil spilled issue will go away. It’s vital that you keep your into the Gulf of Mexico. community updated on what is happening on Put forward a spokesperson who un- a regular basis. derstands the issues, is comfortable talking For the record @SamsungMobile, the of- to media and comes across as empathic. It ficial Twitter handle, issued only one tweet doesn’t have to be your head of PR; it can be on Oct. 13 and put one message on Facebook the HR director or head of customer service. for the duration of the issue, while the spoof In the case of Samsung, Dong-jin Koh, Twitter handle @GalaxyNote_7 was tweeting president of mobile communications busi- on a regular basis. Twitter would have been a ness, Samsung Electronics, issued a heartfelt good customer channel to provide updates to apology at a press conference in South Korea loyal customers on a regular basis. to all involved in the situation and vowed to Once the issue has died down, communi- “find the exact cause [of the faulty Galaxy cate what else is happening in the business: Note 7] to restore trust of consumers so that client wins, people hires, new products or they can use Samsung products without any thought leadership. Depending on the sever- safety concerns.” ity of the issue, try to get back to a business- While it was good to see him talking to as-usual approach, and over time the positive the press and facing the situation, issuing this headlines generated will help to counterbal- statement and holding interviews at the be- ance the negativity. ginning stages of the crisis or giving an apology in a video would have almost certainly 6. Learn From Mistakes avoided some of the negative press. Although it might not seem like it at the time, crises do eventually die down. Have an 4. Listen and Monitor open discussion with all your stakeholders on Most companies have media and social what worked and what didn’t and take ac- listening tools in place, which help them tion. What could you have done differently? understand not only the type of conversations What will you implement as a result? Train people are having about them online but also and educate staff? Put a better plan in place? where and when they are happening. Install security software? Carefully analyze what is being said and Never waste the opportunity of a good who is saying it. Is it all negative? Are there crisis. Use it to learn, improve, build trust and some influencers who are supporting you and win back loyalty. n acknowledging the action you are taking, thus giving you a third-party endorsement? This is where the advantages of having solid media Yvonne Maher is a deputy managing director relationships come into place. Understanding at Cognito EMEA.

Internal Communications Media Relations

Communication Strategies for University Recruitment Amidst a Global Pandemic By Aurora Meyer

n mid-March 2020, Mizzou Law went Facing budget decreases, Mizzou Law had to entirely online to comply with state strengthen existing relationships with current and local shelter-in-place orders in students and all faculty and staff and reinforce response to the global COVID-19 pan- new relationships with incoming students demic. In addition to shifting classes without allocating additional funds. More and day-to-day responsibilities for running importantly, Mizzou Law had to find ways to Ithe law school online, this also meant recruit- communicate updates without making addi- ment efforts pivoted after the LSAC an- tional promises that could easily be broken. nounced the cancellations of the March and Mizzou Law effectively developed and April 2020 LSAT administrations. began delivering messages to target audiences Mizzou Law had to change tactics and between March 20, 2020 and April 25, 2020. focus on nurturing those students who had Using a model of transparency, combined already made a seat deposit to enroll in the with an emphasis on empathetical communi- August 2020 semester. This coincided with a cation, the team worked to calm overall fears renewed focus on the audience identification and respond quickly to identified needs. model to continue to overcome the potential Mizzou Law set a goal of hosting town hall- trend of separateness while working outside style online meetings with faculty, staff, current of the building. Using the theoretical lens of students and admitted students to engage at framing and reputation management, this least 50 percent of each audience segmentation case study examines how Mizzou Law con- to listen to one another share personal experi- tinued to engage stakeholders and began a ences during the pandemic, creating relation- campaign to convince admitted students to ships and building a sense of community. attend in fall 2020. Mizzou Law also changed the focus from Unlike other institutions, the Mizzou Law a traditional email-based recruitment cam- admissions team held the annual admitted paign to an email-based nurture campaign for students’ day prior to the campus closure. In admitted students. addition, Mizzou Law had an existing rela- During that time, the University of Missouri tionship with BarkleyREI that was dedicated took the lead on communicating campus infor- to developing and implementing automated mation related to the pandemic on its website. email campaigns. Campus leadership also held town hall-style webinars for audiences to share messages. Delivering Promises Mizzou Law needed to resolve both a Planning pragmatic challenge and make good on the With a need to pivot from planned in- promises to current and future law students. person meetings and in person recruitment

Updates to the Missouri University community are regularly posted on the school’s website.

strategies, Mizzou Law immediately moved Strategy to host open forums with the Mizzou Law Mizzou Law implemented the communi- Dean to gather feedback to inform future cation strategies of education, explanation, decisions and provide immediate assistance earning trust and highlighting benefits with as needed to current faculty, staff and stu- the objectives of increasing awareness, main- dents. taining support and maintaining or increas- In total, the Mizzou Law Dean held 10 ing levels of satisfaction. open forums between March 30 and April 24. Mizzou Law used open communica- In addition to a desire for connection and a tion models on multiple channels, including continued emphasis on community-building, webinars, scheduled emails and phone calls Mizzou Law was able to specifically identify to connect with faculty, staff and current and and provide assistance for more than 15 im- prospective students. In each interaction, the mediate needs. school provided reassurance and reiterated Simultaneously, Mizzou Law created a that Mizzou Law is attempting to fulfill all seven-email series to continue to recruit the promises, particularly providing an excellent students admitted for the 2021 Fall semes- legal education, regardless of circumstances. ter. Initial audience research on potential Mizzou Law worked to create an email and admitted students was completed with campaign to systematically reach out to BarkleyREI between October 2019 and admitted students to guide them through January 2020. the beginning of May through orientation in

The school hosted a number of town hall sessions to engage with its audiences

August to give incoming students the infor- change to this plan dictated by the university mation they need. The school took a proactive or some combination of local, state or fed- approach to let all students know the faculty eral authorities, Mizzou Law will reach out and staff are dedicated to their success. to admitted students with an updated plan of Mizzou Law is also aware that the uncer- action as quickly as possible. tainty of the local and global situation causes Mizzou Law also used an active social me- stress and uncertainty for faculty, staff and dia presence to share messages of resilience, both current and admitted students. community and dedication to the continua- In every communication, Mizzou Law tion of the school’s mission. underscored the promise it will provide all students with the high-value legal education Evaluation they were promised. As of April 25, 2020, Mizzou Law has 123 In every email, automated and individually seat deposits (admitted students who have generated, in every webinar and open forum put a deposit down, indicating they intend hosted and in every question the Mizzou Law to begin classes in the fall of 2020) compared faculty and staff answer, the goal is to reassure to 85 seat deposits on the same date in 2019 each student that they matter and are wel- and 91 seat deposits on the same date in 2018. come at Mizzou law. This number is an early indication that the On April 22, 2020, Mizzou Law hosted a purposeful method of communication and webinar for admitted students to discuss the transition from the spring semester to matric- providing information to admitted students is n ulating at Mizzou in the fall. The messaging having the desired effect. revolved around the plan to begin in-person classes starting with an in-person August Aurora Meyer, APR, is director of communica- orientation. During this webinar, Mizzou Law tion and marketing at University of Missouri, unequivocally told the attendees if there is a School of Law. [email protected].

Internal Communications Media Relations

Navigating the Unknown: Implementing a Chapter 11 Comms Program during COVID-19 By Jennifer E. Mercer

he global spread of novel corona- Navigating the Unknown virus marked an unprecedented The crisis response team included mem- time in our history. Businesses in bers of Apex’s leadership team, human every industry had to act quickly resources, legal advisors, corporate com- and responsibly to respond to munications specialists and other advisors as the rapid changes taking place to survive the needed. With so much unknown, the crisis Tglobal pandemic. With mandated lockdowns response team determined that Apex’s com- and stay-at-home orders in place, gone were munications strategy would stand upon three social gatherings, concerts, and with sum- key pillars: communicate early and often, be mer just around the corner, the ever-popular open and honest, and express empathy. amusement parks. Apex’s employees are the foundation of the Businesses that make most of their money business and communicating with them is a during the summer season were particularly priority. Transparency with this group was vulnerable. Amusement parks and arcades critical. On the heels of operations shutting often add roughly 20,000 jobs nationwide in down due to the pandemic, Apex’s employees May and approximately 30,000 again in June, were operating with heightened anxiety; now according to data from the Bureau of Labor they were faced with the chapter 11. Statistics (BLS). It was important when communicating In March 2020, Apex Parks Group, a with this group that information be provided California-based company with 10 family timely. Because everything changed daily, entertainment centers and two water parks there was no waiting until we had all the an- located in California, Florida and New Jersey, swers. The impact on the business and result temporarily closed its parks in response to the to the employee were explained to the best of COVID-19 pandemic. our ability at every given moment. Soon after, on April 4, the Company filed When severance or sick pay became unfor chapter 11 to facilitate the sale of the feasible financial options, the crisis response company. With so much change taking place, team took the opportunity to provide other having a communications strategy and a crisis resources, including contact information for response team in place was vital for Apex. unemployment offices and changes in state and

Apex Parks posted outbound communications to alert stakeholders about what would happen during the Chapter 11.

Apex Parks Group sent an FAQ document to its vendors to ensure they were aware of the nature of the Chapter 11 and the implications.

federal laws. In this situation—and during any media who do not. A spokesperson should other crisis—the crisis response team must know the process and how to work with legal commit to keeping employees apprised as counsel and other advisors to gather infor- things unfold. Use social media groups, email mation. Moreover, the company must decide or texts to communicate as often as possible. how much they want to engage—or not— Communicating with Apex’s customers with the media before the chapter 11 filing early and often was essential to keeping them announcement is released. Apex distributed connected during the closure. Providing a comprehensive press release and engaged information on the changes taking place, as with certain key reporters. well as how this would or would not impact The use of specialized websites and hot- them, is another chance to communicate with lines are one of the most useful tools during empathy. Feeling understood breeds loyalty. a chapter 11. Providing a specific place where For Apex, keeping each of the park websites all constituents can access information allows updated and responding to guest inquiries as the team to track the information that is being quickly as possible was critical. sought, so we can determine whether a change in the communications strategy is needed. Understanding the Process The Coronavirus pandemic created great Vendors are an essential group to keep any swaths of uncertainty; adding a chapter 11 business operating. In chapter 11, general filing further exacerbated this. While many of vendors are unsecured creditors. Communi- these these communications were, and con- cating with this group throughout the process tinue to be, uncomfortable, they are critical. is critical to their support for ongoing opera- No one likes uncertainty and communicating tions. The team must communicate that the effectively during change requires commitment. “administrative priority” under which most Commitment to sometimes being uncomfort- vendors fall requires that the company pay able. Commitment to providing information that timely and in full for any goods and services the recipient may not like. Commitment to the received following the chapter 11 filing. This three key pillars: communicate early and often, gives vendors security that they will be paid. be open and honest and express empathy. n Of critical importance when dealing with the media during a chapter 11 is an under- Jennifer E. Mercer is a partner at Paladin standing of the process. While there are Management Group. jmercer@paladinmgmt. reporters who cover corporate bankruptcy, it com. Liz Gonzalez, Paladin Management is a small group that is far outweighed by the Group, contributed to this article.

Internal Communications Social Media

Breaking Through The COVID-19 Noise By Brian Chandler

here there’s a void in the brand until the economy reopened. market, fill it, especially Commonwealth reasoned that the market during a pandemic. That would be full of blogs and how-to articles us- was the attitude that ing PR and marketing to remain relevant dur- Richmond, VA-based ing this moment. Research, though, revealed Commonwealth Public Relations took when an antidote that the firm put to use relatively WCOVID-19 hit. The virus was not only taking quickly in an effort to rise above the noise. lives, but disrupting and shutting businesses. During a call in mid-March, the first day The problem for the firm was how to break agency staff worked from home, a discus- through the noise and stay in front of the sion ensued about what strategies could be business community during the COVID-19 implemented to position Commonwealth as a pandemic. Among the goals for the firm resource. A Google search revealed that there was to provide to clients and the community are only a handful of vlogs (video blogs) from relevant and helpful resources, innovative PR firms. None of the vlogs came from Com- ideas and tactics to sustain business and build monwealth’s home market of Virginia.

Video specifically focused for CEOs on employee or internal communications during COVID

Research also brought up the prediction The Plan: from Cisco that video will encompass 82 ¨¨ Goal Creation: Become a trusted percent of all social traffic in 2020. That day, and relevant source of PR and com- the firm’s staff decided to start a COVID PR munications information during the & Communications vlog series. The idea was time of COVID-19. that it would be a tool for several months to ¨¨ Strategy: Leverage an under-used medium to offer relevant information not only offer helpful and relevant materi- and content helpful to the PR, mar- als during the crisis, but to allow the firm to keting and business community. continue its branding. ¨¨ Measurable Objectives: -- Create a minimum of at least three Hurdles vlogs per week While the firm had produced a handful of -- Sustain a minimum of 100 views per videos for clients and had a YouTube chan- video, per month, for three months nel, doing a vlog series required more daily -- Grow YouTube subscribers by 5% per month discipline. The team need to create a strategy -- Increase website traffic 5% per month and an editorial calendar. It also had to factor ¨¨ Tactics: While the video series cre- in resources for scripting, filming, editing and ates inbound marketing opportuni- producing videos. In addition, all this had ties, several outbound marketing to be done from the homes of staffers, using tactics were implemented to help build awareness, drive engagement limited equipment. and reach, essentially helping to For the videos to look at least some- build the firm’s brand. what professional, the firm’s staff needed -- Create an editorial calendar that equipment such as tripods, microphones includes interviews with community and lighting. Not being able to access this members who are being innovative; urge interviewees to share complet- equipment easily, staff turned to makeshift ed vlog content with their networks lighting, having a spouse or significant -- Share vlog content on Facebook, other hold the camera and film the inter- LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram view. They also had to think about differ- -- Share vlog content via employees’ ent locations and backgrounds. Creative personal social media accounts thought and consultation as a team helped -- Leverage outbound marketing by emailing links to clients and poten- to uncover several interesting ideas to make tial clients the videos unique. -- Ask organizations in the community to share vlog content with their Outcome audiences via social media During the first 30 days, the vlog series -- Leverage Adobe After Effects to generated 1,500+ views of its COVID-related create the vlog intro content. The total number of subscribers to -- Utilize Canva as a tool to create YouTube thumbnail images the firm’s YouTube channel grew 10%+. For ¨¨ Evaluation: the first time, the firm received an email from -- Monitor the number of views on YouTube about the increase in activity. YouTube Via word of mouth and email shares, peo- -- Track the number of views, shares, ple saw the vlog series. The result was that in- likes and comments on all social dividuals are reaching out to the firm asking media channels to be involved in future videos. This anecdot- -- Track inbound comments

Firm president Brian Chandler filming a vlog from his home office.

al evidence shows the vlog is considered an the proper equipment to create videos, the important resource in the community.Media firm worked to do the best job it could with is picking up some of the firm’s vlog content what it had on hand. Professionally shot and and running it in traditional channels. produced videos on social media might not get the attention they typically would, es- Lessons Learned pecially during the time of COVID, when a For 11 years, Commonwealth was focused large number of individuals are often on their on written content. Creating a series of videos mobile devices. weekly wasn’t easy. It applied tactics that used The vlog series has become a tool that for typical PR programs to remain on track, likely will last beyond COVID. It’s an infor- generate content and share it. mation vehicle to share information consis- For example, without a strategy, goals, tently and help brand and market the firm, as measurement and an editorial calendar, Com- well as separate it from the competition. n monwealth likely would be like a ship without a rudder. In other words, stick to what you Brian Chandler is the founder of Common- know works, no matter what the medium. wealth Public Relations & Marketing, head- When without, improvise. Without all quartered in Richmond, VA.

Media Relations Social Media

Changing the Conversation on Gun Violence: A Public Health Crisis

ith physicians from ing with reporters, activists and Americans every state and specialty who favor measures to rein in gun violence to gathered in Chicago for focus on solutions to a public health crisis. the American Medi- cal Association (AMA) Communications + Science Annual Meeting in June of 2016, news of The primary goal was simple: use strategic Wthe shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando communications and science to change the rocked the conference. conversation on guns and create a new play- In the immediate wake of the shooting field where enacting change is possible. ing, the AMA House of Delegates passed As physicians – and a majority of Ameri- emergency policy declaring gun violence in cans – increasingly called for an effort to rein America a “public health crisis.” Dozens of in gun violence, the AMA communications physicians lined up to address the issue and team regrouped on how to change the conver- recount their stories of confronting gun vio- sation from focused on the 2nd Amendment lence. Physicians talked about how shootings to focused on the public health impact. How impacted communities, mental health and can we tie the cumulative toll of gun violence emergency department physicians, as well as together – rather than treating every tragedy the evolution of gun violence and how assault separately – and how do we attain the policy weapons and more lethal ammunition made goals of resuming epidemiological research of their mission of saving lives significantly gun violence and enacting legislation that will more challenging. save lives? As gun violence continued to plague the The planning and strategies were executed country – killing more than 30,000 Ameri- in careful coordination with AMA leaders in cans each year – for years the immediate Washington and Chicago, physician leaders aftermath of each mass shooting followed the on gun violence and in careful consideration same pattern: politicians would send thoughts of inflection points. and prayers, some would call for measures to The AMA launched its effort immediately curb gun violence, and others would call any after the Parkland shooting on February 14, steps toward legislative fixes an attack on the 2018. A self-published op-ed by AMA Presi- 2nd Amendment. The visibility of the shoot- dent David O. Barbe, M.D., was shared directing would decrease until it disappeared. ly with media, emailed to a list of physicians and subscribers and shared widely on owned Rinse, Repeat social media channels reaching millions. The conversation needed to change, so The primary call to action was: “Today, the AMA took a leading role in communicat- more than ever before, America’s physicians

and the District of Co- lumbia, AMA leaders spoke out on the issue of gun violence. In July, AFFIRM Research announced the AMA as its newest partner in its push for gun violence research, which was pushed ag- gressively to physicians, again empowering them to play a leading role in confronting this public health crisis. Over the course of the year, physician leadership – and demonstrations that guns are a larger crisis – picked up dramatically. Op-eds and LTEs from physicians increased, online par- must lend their voice and their considerable ticipation rose, and the political muscle to force lawmakers to exam- hashtag #ThisIsMyLane, in response to the NRA, took off. The playing field in the gun ine this urgent health crisis—through feder- debate changed dramatically in a year, and ally funded research—and take appropriate in 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives steps to address it.” passed background check legislation. On February 15, we issued a statement Despite long odds, decades of inaction applauding HHS Sec. Azar for saying CDC from Congress, and a history of success by the research on gun violence should resume. At NRA at stifling debate, the gun debate changed our Annual Meeting in June, we highlighted in 2018. Physicians spoke out more often, a section of AMA President David Barbe’s engaged more prominently online, took on the speech in which he again called on physicians NRA, shared images of gun violence as a pub- to lead on gun violence, and we touted new lic health crisis, and helped move the needle. policies passed by the AMA House of Del- Immediately after the Parkland shooting, egates, crafting a larger narrative in advance the AMA work on gun violence generated with an AP reporter, whose story, “Frustrated more than 1,000 media placements in Febru- AMA adopts sweeping policies to cut gun ary. For the year, we earned nearly 3,000 news violence,” was picked up across the country. clips that mentioned AMA and gun violence. n Throughout the year, AMA leaders fanned out across the country to speak with other This case study received an honorable mention physician leaders and broader audiences. At for the 2019 PRNEWS Platinum Awards. It has more than 20 speaking venues in 11 states been edited for clarity.

Media Relations Social Media Internal Communications

Toyota Motor North America Drives Takata Air Bag Repairs

ecalls of the Takata airbags began Toyota de Puerto Rico (TdPR), to develop a in 2013 due to a faulty part in the campaign to reach locals and spur repairs. airbag that can explode, shooting Knowing that most of the impacted airbags sharp, metal fragments into the are on the front passenger side of the ve- vehicle. More than 16 deaths in hicle, the team narrowed its focus to a single, the U.S. occurred, and hundreds have alleged- persuasive concept for all communications: Rly been injured. Despite dozens of letters, calls You’re not just fixing your car — You’re pro- and emails to each vehicle owner, millions of tecting your passengers. vehicles remained unrepaired. Additionally, the team ensured that all ma- The problem that triggers airbag malfunc- terials adhered to the Toyota brand standards tions is more severe in hot, humid areas, so and were translated from English to Spanish Toyota made Puerto Rico a priority market with attention to cultural nuances. for completing repairs. Toyota’s Product Quality (PQ) division enlisted Jackson Large-Scale Event Spalding to launch a series of marketing ini- The team identified Pabellón del Tiempo – tiatives, including large-scale events, market- a free, full-day educational event focused on ing campaigns and dealer marketing, to help hurricane and earthquake preparedness that ensure drivers of its vehicles in Puerto Rico was attended by 5,000+ – as an ideal setting were aware of the life-threatening nature of for connecting with Puerto Rico residents. the defective part and to urge Toyota owners Toyota sponsored a booth and the Earth- to schedule the free repair. quake Simulator, a main feature of the event. Jackson Spalding conducted extensive The brand’s :30 video on the Takata airbag research on drivers in Puerto Rico, working recall was shown before each simulation to closely with Toyota’s local corporate entity, create additional awareness.

Dealer Events and Advertising makers have been challenged by the National Campaign Highway Traffic Safety Authority to reach The team created a Takata Recall Events owners and persuade them to have the repair Toolkit to allow Toyota’s dealerships on the performed. island to host their own awareness events at The Harm’s Way and Hidden Danger their locations or at larger community gather- campaigns delivered more than 250 million ings. The team also developed four separate combined impressions in Puerto Rico. This dealer-marketing campaigns – offering print included digital banner ads that performed mailers, emails, social media posts and more 5 times better than industry average, digital – for dealers to reach out directly to their billboards running in 46 locations, and 1,270 impacted customers. radio spots aired. The “Hidden Dangers” campaign empha- The airbag recall repair completion rate sized the dangerous nature of this recall and used Hollywood-style special effects and a jumped from 61 percent to nearly 70 percent n latex monster to create the visuals. The mes- from January to December 2019. saging asked: “Hay un asesino en tu auto?” (Or: “Is there a killer in your car?”) This case study received an honorable mention Despite millions of touchpoints since the at the 2020 PRNEWS Digital PR Awards. The 2013 recall began, Toyota and other auto entry was edited for clarity.

Media Relations

A Conversation about Consumer Privacy: A Crisis that Moved the Industry Forward

he inquiry from Kirsten Grind, investigative reporter, was in- nocuous: “Hi, I’m trying to reach someone there Twho can speak to the media. I’m working on deadline on a story about Crimson Hexa- gon and its work with the U.S. government, and internation- ally, also related to its Face- book partnership announced last week.” Crimson’s relationship with Facebook was critical to the online public data that fed its consumer insights. Govern- recommended a 2-prong approach. First, ment agencies, like FEMA, leveraged Crim- answer questions in writing to avoid a live son to gain insights from posts to its Face- conversation. Second, take a stance. There book page from people impacted by weather. was an opportunity to have a courageous conversation on the ethical use of data and From Opportunity to Crisis consumer privacy. Grind was working on a different angle. After a review of previous work,PAN real- Putting a Stake in the Ground ized Grind was positioning Crimson as the The goal was to communicate our truth next Cambridge Analytica, a digital agency while putting a leadership stake in the with inappropriate access to private data. The ground. Media was primed to cover the next tone of counsel pivoted from opportunity to scandal, and this story was going to re-start crisis. The goal was to minimize damage, and the conversation. PAN counseled Crimson ensure our messaging around the ethical use to leverage the blog as the ideal location for of data and consumer privacy was heard loud its public-facing communication. This would and clear. allow Crimsom to provide a perspective, with After exhaustive due diligence with Crim- a call to action to be conscious stewards of son, Grind’s narrative was factually wrong. protecting consumer’s private data. Understanding truth was on our side, PAN Central to achieving our goal was to define

data represented in coverage was of critical importance. More than 70% of coverage included a link to the blog, meaning media valued the conversation on privacy. While Facebook reinstated Crimson, they were not willing terms to create a common understanding to participate in an of the language used in conversations. This announcement. Therefore, Crimson updated messaging carried to an internal Q&A cre- its blog accordingly, to little fanfare. ated with the understanding that any message Media Coverage made public could be seen by media, custom- After the initial Wall Street Journal story ers, partners and competitors – all with differ- went live, we received over 30 in-bound me- ent motivations. dia inquiries looking for commentary or up- Grind’s investigation prompted Facebook dates. There were an additional 140+ stories to suspend Crimson’s access and investigate published after the WSJ story went live. The the claims. Experiencing a maelstrom of dis- coverage related to the Facebook investigation content around consumer privacy, Facebook spanned verticals and linked back to the blog reacted hours before the story was published. we drafted and heavily encouraged media to Crimson was not only facing reputational im- reference over 70% of the time. There were pact, but its access to Facebook was in peril. eight stories covered that discussed Facebook Looping in the executive team, the legal reinstating Crimson Hexagon to its platform team, outside counsel, etc., as one unit, we due to our proactive and aggressive media developed an agreed-upon strategy, talking outreach. Post-crisis, we forged new relation- points, messaging, ownership and next steps. ships with top tier media that have resulted Once the story published, PAN fielded in continued positive coverage in the months 30+ media inquiries that resulted in 140+ after the initial article ran.n pieces of coverage. Every inquiry received a reply from PAN with a link to the blog. From This case study received an honorable mention a communication perspective, having the for the 2019 PRNEWS Platinum Awards. It has statement about the ethical use of consumer been edited for clarity.

Media Relations Executive and Spokesperson Training Internal Communications

Cruise Lines, Care Facilities Fail After COVID-19 Media Attention Arrives By Katie Paine

he coronavirus pandemic is a in many states, including my own, were hap- perfect example of why increas- pening in those same places. ing awareness is a terrible PR The reality is that COVID-19 has raised the objective. I’ve been aware of visibility of many industries that we probably cruise ships since I was a child. didn’t give much thought to before: meatpack- My father decided to celebrate retirement ing, supply-chain, food pantries, prisons, jani- Tby taking me, his only offspring, around the torial services. The list goes on. What happens world. The first leg of the journey was aboard to those industries now that they’ve had their the QE2, from New York to LeHavre. I was 16 visibility raised to levels previously reserved for and found the cruise dull, but was fascinated sports teams and presidential candidates? by the extent to which my father was the cen- Some may return to relative obscurity ter of attention for so many attractive, elderly when we finally realize we have enough toilet (in my eyes) ladies. paper, thermometers and flour. Others will But when news and photos began to ap- see their reputations and recognition en- pear about COVID-19 infections on board hanced by their philanthropic efforts – teak-S several vessels, my awareness quickly turned Umms and Dean Kamen come to mind – the to horror. The thought of thousands of people latter a name some may remember as the stuck at sea on ships in which a highly con- inventor of the Segway, but who has more re- tagious and frequently deadly disease ran cently been credited with orchestrating deliv- rampant made my skin crawl. ery of badly needed PPE, among other impor- My thoughts also turned to friends in places tant contributions. Others may go down in like Sitka, Alaska and Fort Lauderdale, and all history as bad actors whose words and deeds the other ports of call who would be unwitting helped prolong the COVID-19 nightmare. recipients of the disease, courtesy of ships that Below we will examine how two of those were even then continuing to sail. The more now highly visible industries are responding: aware I was of what was happening in the cruise lines and nursing homes. industry, the more certain I was that I would never again set foot on a cruise ship. The Cruise Line Industry When news of infected cruise ships began Awareness Turns to Outrage to surface, the volume of cases, and even Like most, I am aware of the importance deaths, seemed staggering. Since then, those and necessity of long-term care facilities. numbers pale next to death tolls and infection I have family members in them. But once rates elsewhere in the US. again, that awareness turned to outrage and The Miami Herald has been tracking the fear when news broke that most of the deaths numbers. To date, there have been 2,787 cases

Cruise Line Industry

Criteria Grade Comments Advice

Because the cruise industry was one of When you’re one of the first to become the first hot spots, and images and video a victim of a natural disaster or global Extent of coverage F interviews with stranded passengers filled pandemic, try to do everything right, since all the media, the sector received more than eyes will be on you. Later, there may be others its fair share of attention. to distract the media.

Passengers and industry spokespeople Don’t forget that the media is constantly were contradicting each other daily, and beseeching anyone affected by a tragedy to Effectiveness of the passengers made much better copy, tell his or her story, and it’s easy to respond to spokespeople F so whatever industry spokespeople said their pleas on social media. Visuals of victims had less credibility than the social media make for a much better story than a stiff posts of suffering passengers. spokesperson standing at a podium.

The industry began explaining how it was planning to change its practices, but only Getting ahead of a crisis means taking swift Communication of D- after lawmakers started calling for stricter and bold action before you it’s mandated, key messages legislation. This industry response was far before lawyers start filing lawsuits and victims too late. call their representatives in congress.

Assume that anyone hurt by your actions, or No amount of corporate speak could actions that touch your brand, will have a mo- Management of F drown out the torrent of complaints and bile phone and a camera. They will broadcast negative messages photos from passengers on board. the negative messages you don’t want people to know about.

Bookings for 2021 are looking strong, If you don’t have data such as future bookings, Impact on custom- according to the industry, which is offering survey your target audiences and existing cus- ers C generous discounts. So, for the true cruis- tomers ASAP to find out how bad the damage ing fan, there seems to be little damage. really is.

As the COVID-19 era continues, everyone When a crisis hits a country, or the world, and wants to predict winners and losers, and your industry is at the forefront, and you are a most people seem to think the cruise public company, the best thing to do is take Impact on stock F industry will be at least a short-term loser financial losses early, act quickly to stop the price since almost all the publicly traded compa- problem, make sure employees and custom- nies have lost about 75% of their stock ers are on the same page as you are, and then value in the last four months. worry about your stock price.

Weeks after passengers were brought home, thousands (possibly tens of thousands) of crew members remained Impact on employ- stranded at sea because cruise lines Prioritize employees over profits, or you will ees F didn’t want to be held responsible for the find it very difficult to attract good talent when cost of bringing them home. As a result, you need it. the attractiveness of working for a cruise line has been severely diminished.

Learn from your mistakes. This wasn’t Just because your current crisis seems differ- the first time that the cruise industry has ent from all others should not preclude you Overall score F been hit with negative news. Yet its focus from going back to earlier crises and doing continues to be on profits over trust, cred- a thorough data analysis to determine what works, and what doesn’t, to salvage your ibility and reputation. reputation.

Nursing Homes

Criteria Grade Comments Advice There’s nothing like a good crisis to After being relatively under-covered by the make an industry that frequently runs media, the nursing home COVID-19 crisis below most radar screens top of the Extent of coverage F now is an issue on nearly every newscast. news. No matter how low visibility you Many governors are including nursing may be, at least make sure you have a home numbers in their daily briefings. As crisis and disaster plan ready. Dust it the numbers climb, attention will grow. off at least once a year. If the thought was that somehow industry association presidents, who frequently Credibility of spokespeople is critical. Effectiveness of spokes- F are seen and described as lobbyists, Having an industry lobbyist as your people would be effective spokespeople, then the official spokesperson is not likely to industry was mistaken. engender credibility. The key message should have been care and concern for patients, residents and In the scrum of a crisis, the media will, families of those who died. Instead, the at best, take away one message from Communication of D industry is asking for immunity from lia- your statement, if any. So, when there key messages bility for what happened in their facilities, are victims, it is best that your main which is precisely the wrong message in message convey sympathy, empathy any crisis. and apologies, or else you are doomed. The moment the industry started talking about liability, most people assumed that Bringing up legal issues and poten- there was some. The stories that were tial lawsuits in the middle of a crisis Management of negative filling the news about hidden bodies implies that you know you did some- messages F and families left in the dark, sadly, made thing wrong. Lawyers generally are less for excellent TV. There was no way that interested in protecting your reputation negative messages wouldn’t dominate the than they are in avoiding lawsuits. Both headlines. are equally costly. Most nursing facilities already are under- staffed and staff is notoriously underpaid. Communicating with employees, The fact that you want immunity and aren’t whether you are conveying concern or Impact on employees F providing PPE or compensation commen- instructions as to how to fix a problem, surate with the risks the staff is taking will has to be your number-one priority in ensure that it will be harder than ever to any crisis. find talent going forward. There are millions of family members who now are frantic about their loved ones Your first message has to be one of since the media has portrayed nursing compassion for those hurt in any crisis. homes as the source of a majority of CO- If not, you will end up with a reputa- Impact on citizens F VID-19 fatalities. It could be years before tion as an organization or an industry confidence is restored. In addition, many that doesn’t care and won’t listen. It is voters will be petitioning their legislators essentially an entity with which no one for more oversight of the industry will willingly do business. Hedge funds and other for-profit public The fact that of all your stakeholder companies own many of the infected facili- audiences, your shareholders are the only Impact on investors F ties. There is no doubt shareholders will ones who did well, will not enable you to be thrilled to see that states are granting succeed in a populist, or, frankly, in any, immunity when asked. post-crisis environment. We have yet to see a facility manage communications well to any audience, except Don’t leave communications to lawyers perhaps to shareholders. If such facilities or lobbyists. Your response to a crisis, weren’t a necessity for so many families, especially one involving the health and Overall score D- the resident population would decrease safety of staff as well as customers, has dramatically. Immunity or not, we predict to begin with compassion and empathy, more legislation and regulation in their not protection from lawsuits. future.

and 74 deaths associated with cruise ships. Sadly, there has been such limited testing in these What truly tarred the industry was its facilities that there is widespread acknowledge- insistence that ships were safe and its persis- ment that those numbers are under-reporting tence in continuing to launch cruises and visit cases and fatalities. ports even after the initial cases and death Unfortunately, the industry’s message fo- were reported in early February. cuses more on being granted immunity from TheCDC issued warnings against board- liability and lawsuits than concern for the sick ing cruise ships on March 8, yet cruises con- and families of those who have died. tinued to launch through mid-March. As of TheAmerican Health Care Association, April 7, there were 6,000 passengers at sea. In which represents more than 14,000 for-profit late, Carnival Cruise Line said it had 10,000 nursing homes, issued a statement that said: healthy crew members aboard 18 of its ships. “Long-term care workers and centers are on the The industry’s lobbying group,Cruise frontline of this pandemic response and it is criti- Lines International Association, issued cal that states provide the necessary liability pro- a statement saying, “Upon declaration by tection staff and providers need to provide care the WHO of a pandemic, (March 11, 2020) during this difficult time without fear of reprisal.” CLIA-member cruise lines voluntarily sus- There’s no sign of empathy in those 39 pended operations worldwide – making the words. Media reports as of press time say at cruise industry one of the first to do so.” least 11 states issued executive orders shield- Daily headlines refuted this, of course. In ing health care providers from some form of addition, it didn’t help the industry’s cred- liability during COVID-19. In addition, states ibility that President Trump weighed in on like Kentucky, New York and Wisconsin have its behalf. Carnival Corp. chairman Micky passed legislation to protect health care provid- Arison is a close friend of the president’s and ers from liability during the global pandemic. a former sponsor of “The Apprentice.” Advocates for occupants in these facili- The industry also didn’t win friends when tates argue that granting immunity without it lobbied for CARES act relief funds, despite requiring reporting and adherence to certain avoiding paying US taxes, as most of its ves- standards is an even bigger disaster waiting sels are registered overseas. to happen. In many cases, family members, Yet Carnival unveiled plans on May 4 to re- advocates and inspectors have been barred sume cruising from US ports, on a limited basis, from entering the facilities. by August 1. The resumption is subject to CDC “The rule waivers, diminished inspections, approval and likely will include daily tempera- reduced oversight, and chronic understaff- ture checks, distancing and containment proce- ing in long-term care facilities may be a toxic dures. Still, Carnival says people are booking. combination,” says Toby Edelman, senior Nursing Homes policy attorney at the Center for Medicare Relative to the cruise line industry, COVID-19 Advocacy. “There’s a lot of neglect in nursing has dealt a far bigger blow to nursing homes. All homes in the best of times,” she adds, “and n over the US, once the media or health care offi- these are not the best of times.” cials started tracking data by source, the numbers of cases and deaths from nursing homes skyrock- Katie Paine is CEO of Paine Publishing. kd- eted to more than 11,000, according to the AP. [email protected]

PRNEWS thanks the outstanding contributors to this guidebook.

Greg Abel is founder and CEO of Abel Beth Egan is an associate professor at Communications. Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. Casey Adams Jones is founder and owner of C. Adams Agency and communications Andrew Gilman is president and CEO of director of the American Heart Association. CommCore Consulting Group.

Jennifer Alvarez is digital media & mar- Darius Fisher is CEO and co-founder of keting officer for Gilbert, Arizona. Status Labs.

Dianne Anderson is the former director Karina Frayter is head of corporate media of media relations & communication at The at RF|Binder. University of New Mexico. Michael Good is VP at FinishMaster, Inc. Mandy Arnold is CEO at Gavin. Katie Goodale is associate director, PR & Ned Barnett is CEO of Barnett Marketing social media at Hiebing. Communications. Jeff Hallock is assistant sheriff at Orange Dana Berchman is chief digital officer for County Sheriff’s Department. Gilbert, Arizona. Jennifer Hellman is chief operating officer Jock Breitwieser runs marketing commu- and principal at Goff Public. nications and PR at StorageCraft. Deborah Hileman, SCMP, is president & Brian Chandler is the founder of Com- CEO, Institute for Crisis Management. monwealth Public Relations & Marketing. Michelle Jamieson is an international Becca Cooper is head of digital at Cognito. communications consultant.

Casey Delperdang is a former PR manager Allison Kahn is director of digital & social at MMI Agency. marketing at Mastercard.

Eric Dezenhall is co-founder and CEO at Gary Kimball is president and founder of Dezenhall Resources. Kimball Hughes Public Relations.

Dave Dykes is a senior account executive Dr. Christie Kleinmann, APR, is an asso- at Bluetext. ciate professor of public relations at Belmont University.

212 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Stacey L. Knott is deputy chief of stra- Amelia Oliver is a marketing strategist at tegic outreach, North American Aerospace Green Buzz Agency. Defense Command and U.S. Northern Com- mand Public Affairs. Katie Paine is CEO of Paine Publishing.

Christina Kuhl is director of executive Mark Pasetsky is founder and CEO of communications at Distribution International. Mark Allen & Co.

Mark Lange is Chief Marketing Officer at Taral Patel is a PR executive at PRmention. Area 1 Security. Lori Perlow is the communications man- Jeff Leshay is president at Leshay Commu- ager at the Camden County Educational Ser- nications, LLC. vices Commission and president of the New Jersey School Public Relations Association. Richard Levick, Esq., is chairman and CEO of LEVICK. Daniella Peting is the senior manager of social media strategy at YPO. Kristina Libby is a professor at the Univer- sity of Florida and co-founder of SoCu. Scott Rainone is managing partner at Fahrenheit Strategic Communications. Liz Liberman is senior product development director at Cision. John Roderick is president of J. Roderick Public Relations. Rick Lyke, APR, is executive vice president, managing director at Mower. Mike Rosen is a retired managing principal at PRR. Yvonne Maher is a deputy managing director at Cognito EMEA. Tuck Ross is senior vice president of marketing at Synchrony. Emily Mastroianni is a senior account executive at Gatesman. Aiden Ryan is media relations and content chief at Goldberg Segalla. Jennifer E. Mercer is a partner at Paladin Management Group. Annie Pace Scranton is founder and president at Pace Public Relations. Aurora Meyer, APR, is director of communication and marketing at University of Julie Sheedy is the Chief Marketing Officer Missouri, School of Law. for Loretto.

Audrey Miller is senior manager of digital Melony Shemberger, Ed.D., is an assistant content and social media at the American professor of journalism and mass communi- Heart Association. cations at Murray State University.

© PRNEWS The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 213 Pia Singh is a former vice president at Christopher R. Turnbull, MS, is director FleishmanHillard. of corporate communications & operational continuity at Carilion Clinic. Joshua Smith is an assistant professor of public relations at the Richard T. Robertson Phil Watson is director of consumer pub- School of Media and Culture at Virginia lic relations at BFGoodrich/Michelin North Commonwealth University. America.

Peter V. Stanton is CEO of Stanton Com- T.J. Winick is a senior vice president at munications. Solomon McCown & Company.

Dayne Stern is an account director at Posi- Carreen Winters is chair, reputation man- tive Dialogue. agement & chief strategy officer at MWWPR.

Kevin Stickney is a senior advisor at Mat- Tracy Zampaglione is the public informa- ter Communications. tion officer for Orange County Corrections.

Benjamin Thiele-Long is a director at Cognito.

214 The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 © PRNEWS Index 4 A’s ...... 127 eMarketer...... 139 4Chan...... 160 Entercom Communications...... 189 Abel Communications...... 78 Equifax...... 137 Adobe...... 200 espAfrika EXCO...... 190 Amazon...... 39 ESPN...... 55, 124 American Heart Association...... 135 Facebook...... 26, 30, 40, 41, 45, 70, 83, 104, 112, American Health Care Association...... 211 128, 136, 137, 139, 145, 155, 158, 160, 174, 193, 200, 206 American Medical Association...... 202 Fahrenheit Strategic Communications...... 35 Apex Parks Group...... 197 Federal Trade Commission...... 156 Area 1 Security...... 147 Feld Entertainment...... 37 Awario...... 38 FinishMaster...... 48 Barnett Marketing Communications...... 17 Finn Partners...... 80 BarkleyREI...... 194 FleishmanHillard...... 63, 76 Bell...... 56 Folloze...... 40 Berkshire Hathaway...... 83 Gatesman...... 170 Belmont University...... 185 Gavin...... 74 BerlinRosen...... 76 Germanwings...... 145 BFGoodrich/Michelin North America...... 162 Gilbert’s Digital Communications Department..... 173 Bloomberg...... 100 Gilbert Fire and Rescue Department...... 173 Bluetext...... 187 GlobalWebIndex...... 127 BP...... 193 Goff Public...... 117 Boeing...... 112 Goldberg Segalla...... 123 BrandWatch...... 138,149 Google...... 41, 43, 49, 61, 160, 164, 181, 199 Bureau of Labor Statistics...... 197 Green Buzz Agency...... 158 Burlington Township School District...... 164 Hanover Stone Partners...... 155 Burson-Marsteller...... 124 Hiebing...... 134 C. Adams Agency...... 189 Hofstra...... 127 Canva...... 200 HootSuite...... 38, 149 Cambridge Analytica...... 112, 206 Houston Astros...... 55, 104, 124, 186 Carilion Clinic...... 19 HP...... 83 Carnival Cruise Line...... 211 Human Rights Campaign...... 188 Center for Medicare Advocacy...... 211 IFTTT...... 41 CDC...... 61, 129, 165, 172, 179, 203, 211 Independent Community Bankers Association..... 100 Change.org...... 157 Inspire PR Group...... 37 Chipotle...... 36, 137 Instagram...... 45, 104, 128, 136, 139, 142, 145, 158, Cisco...... 199 160, 174, 200 Cision...... 61 Institute for Crisis Management...... 59 Cognito...... 53, 193 Jackson Spalding...... 204 Colgate-Palmolive...... 84 JPMorgan Chase...... 100 Comcast...... 166 Kglobal...... 76 CommCore Consulting Group...... 84 Kimball Hughes Public Relations...... 178 Commonwealth Public Relations & Marketing..... 199 Leshay Communications...... 93 CRF Frozen Foods...... 36 Levick...... 157 Crimson Hexagon...... 206 Linden Public School District...... 165 Cruise Lines International Association...... 211 LinkedIn...... 26, 53, 160, 200 Deloitte LLP...... 77 Lenovo...... 54 Dezenhall Resources...... 109 Loretto...... 69 Distribution International...... 179 Los Angeles Lakers...... 55 Dole...... 36 Major League Baseball...... 55, 124,186

© PRNEWS The Book of Crisis Management, Vol. 10 215 Manchester City...... 186 Segway...... 208 Mark Allen & Co...... 68 SharePoint...... 180 Mastercard...... 87 SHIFT Communications...... 75 Matter Communications...... 32 SHOP ‘n SAVE...... 170 Mayo Clinic...... 55 Snapchat...... 160, 174 McDonald’s...... 54 Social Mention...... 38 Mention...... 38 Social Report...... 149 Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting...... 36 Solomon McCown & Company...... 90 MMI Agency...... 98 Southwest Airlines...... 144 Monterey Bay Aquarium...... 40 SpaceX...... 83 Mower Insight Group...... 127 Spotify...... 139 Murray State University...... 95 Sprout Social...... 148 MWWPR...... 111 Stand Together...... 158 National Basketball Association...... 83 Stanton Communications...... 13 National Football League...... 54 Starbucks...... 120 National Fuel...... 77 Status Labs...... 45 National Highway Traffic Safety Authority...... 205 Steak-Umms...... 208 Nestle...... 84 Steel City Re...... 155 Netflix...... 139 StorageCraft...... 26 New Balance...... 41 Synchrony...... 143 New England Patriots...... 54, 100 Syracuse University...... 127 New Jersey School Public Relations Association... 166 TalkWalker...... 41 Nordstrom...... 157 Theranos...... 104 North American Aerospace Defense Command... 154 TikTok...... 139 Orange County Corrections...... 129 Toms Shoes...... 39 Orange County Sheriff’s Department...... 167 Toyota...... 204 Pace Public Relations...... 115 Twitter...... 128, 37, 104, 116, 142, 157, 160, 173, 193, 200 Pace University...... 127 Tylenol...... 118, 145 Paine Publishing...... 211 Tyson...... 39 Paladin Management Group...... 198 Uber...... 137 PAN...... 206 United Airlines...... 55, 120, 162 PepsiCo...... 41, 54 University of Florida...... 42 Positive Dialogue...... 191 University of Missouri ...... 194 PotBelly...... 55 U.S. Coast Guard...... 27 Power Digital...... 51 U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission...... 120 PR Council...... 76 U.S. Dept. of Agriculture...... 36 PRmention...... 39 Verizon...... 54 PRR...... 106 Viacom...... 189 Proctor & Gamble...... 140 Vice Media...... 100 Purdue...... 83 Virginia Commonwealth University...... 121 Red Havas...... 76 Virginia Tech...... 16 Reddit...... 160 Walmart...... 137 RF|Binder...... 113 Warren Township School District...... 166 Royal Bank of Scotland Group...... 192 Wells Fargo...... 100, 137 Ruth’s Chris Steak House...... 104 Wendy’s...... 83 Samsung...... 119, 192 World Health Organization...... 142 Samueli Foundation Integrative Health Programs.. 75 YouTub e...... 30, 136, 157, 160, 174, 181, 199 Sanders Wingo...... 80 YPO...... 151 Sayreville Public School District...... 164 Zoom...... 69, 139